Game on: Ford’s Bill 5 becomes law in Ontario

Ontario’s truly “Big Beautiful” Bill 5, also called the “Protecting Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act 2025,” is now law. The government managed to pass the legislation before the summer recess began on June 9. The bill empowers the government (among other things) to create special economic zones, which will eventually accelerate mining development and create First Nations-led special economic zones such as for the Ring of Fire region north of Lake Superior.

However, environmental groups and some First Nations opposed Bill 5 despite changes by Premier Doug Ford who called it an opportunity of a lifetime. The new legislation aims to attract investment and strengthen regional economies by accelerating permitting and offering greater regulatory clarity — particularly for critical minerals like nickel, copper, and lithium — which could make Ontario a top destination for mining investment, creating jobs and fostering economic growth across the province.

Why Bill 5

Significant reduction of mining projects’ approval times

Premier Ford highlighted that the permitting process for a new mine currently takes approximately 15 years. The new bill aims to cut that time in half, speeding up development of critical mineral projects — starting with those in the Ring of Fire — helping Ontario compete more effectively on the global stage.

One-project, one-process framework

The legislation establishes a single-window regulatory process across ministries, thus creating a streamlined pipeline to reduce redundancy, simplify bureaucratic hurdles, and create clear timeline guarantees for proponent approvals.

Indigenous consultation is embedded

In response to mounting criticisms that previous processes were overly fragmented and insufficiently respectful of treaty rights and First Nations governance, explicit provisions in the bill require coordinated consultations with Indigenous communities before proceeding. Embedding structured, province-coordinated consultations can streamline engagement — but consistent and meaningful involvement remains critical. Still, the bill sparked backlash, with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Chiefs of Ontario staging a protest at Queen’s Park on Monday to voice their opposition to the bill.

Protecting economic and trade security

With the U.S. imposing tariffs and sourcing critical minerals aggressively, Ontario views fast-tracked mineral approvals to protect the province and bolster North American supply chains, sending a firm message that the Ring of Fire’s resources will not slip away to global competitors. Clearly, a faster, more predictable path to project development can mean lower capex risk and greater investor confidence.

Oversight on foreign involvement

The bill also includes stricter controls on foreign (notably Chinese) investment in critical mineral projects, aiming to ensure that Ontario retains strategic oversight over essential resources.

Similar to Ontario’s Bill 5, last Friday, the federal government tabled a bill in the House of Commons called the One Canadian Economy Act, designed in part to speed up the approval process of major infrastructure projects.

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