Doug Ford Will Introduce Resource Revenue Sharing for Northern Ontario
Will use all available tools to ensure development of the Ring of Fire
Revenue from mining, forestry and aggregates will help develop Northern Ontario Towns and Indigenous Communities
An Ontario PC Government will introduce formal resource revenue sharing that ensures Northern Ontario receives fair benefits from Northern Resources, Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford announced today.
“We’re going to introduce real, formal revenue sharing for northern resources,” said Ford. “This means that more money from mining, forestry and aggregates stays right here in the North for the people of Northern Ontario.”
Ford revealed how an Ontario PC Government will ensure that Northern Ontario communities, including Indigenous communities, will benefit from receiving a portion of provincial revenues collected from aggregate licenses, stumpage fees and the mining tax.
“Your resources. Your benefits. I think that’s only fair,” said Ford.
Ford further committed that as Premier he would use every tool at his disposal to cut through the special interest and bureaucratic delays preventing Northern Ontario from benefiting from the Ring of Fire and other important resource projects.
“My plan means more money in the hands of the folks up here working hard to dig those mines, to build those roads,” said Ford, “and more money for the communities in which they live.”
“I say to every single person who wants to work hard to help create good jobs in Northern Ontario that I am with you,” Ford concluded. “Change is coming and help is on the way.”
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Backgrounder – Resource Revenue Sharing
The Status Quo:
- When new mining, forestry and aggregate developments are proposed, local communities and Indigenous groups may be reluctant to support them without knowing how they would share in the benefits of the development.
- It is in the interest of both the project proponents and local communities that the provincial government plays a role in sharing resource revenue with these host municipalities and Indigenous communities.
- The Liberals have been discussing a revenue sharing arrangement since 2007, but a final arrangement was never put in place.[1] It has been all talk by the Liberals and little action.
- In August 2015, Kathleen Wynne signed a political accord with the Chiefs of Ontario, in which she promised to work with these Indigenous leaders on a range of issues including resource benefits sharing and jurisdictional matters. But no agreement was ever implemented.
How we will fix it:
- A Doug Ford Ontario PC Government will establish resource revenue sharing from mining, forestry and aggregates to help Northern and Indigenous communities share in the benefits of resource development.
- Accordingly, a Doug Ford Government will direct the province to take a portion of provincial revenues collected from aggregate licenses, stumpage fees and the mining tax. This revenue will go to the local, host Northern and Indigenous communities.
- Taxes and fee rates will not increase to account for this policy of resource revenue sharing.
- By implementing resource sharing programs with the local, host municipalities or Indigenous groups, an Ontario PC government will ensure that the communities impacted will experience a direct financial benefit – on top of the employment benefits – from these projects, helping fund needed services, projects, and other community improvements.
- Resource revenue sharing means more money in the hands of people and communities that work on, and support, these mining projects.
[1] http://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/files/pdf/MLIresourcerevenuesharingweb.pdf. See pg. 19