Eagle’s Nest, one of the most advanced mining projects in northwestern Ontario’s geologically rich Ring of Fire region, has been in the works for almost 15 years but governments have never completed a comprehensive assessment of it.

Under the current rules, Eagle’s Nest is not subject to federal assessment because its proposed production capacity is less than 5,000 tonnes per day.

Ontario and Ottawa developed assessment guidelines for the project back in 2015, but the federal government ended up shelving the process when the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) took effect in 2019. 

Earlier this year, the Ford government killed the requirement for a comprehensive impact assessment of Eagle’s Nest as part of the Protecting Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025.

“The project scope has changed significantly since 2015 and the approved terms of reference are no longer aligned with the project as it is currently proposed,” reads a notice on Ontario’s environmental registry. 

The proposed mine is still subject to environmental oversight and Indigenous consultation obligations, but neither level of government intends on carrying out a comprehensive study looking at the project’s specific social, health and economic impacts.

Also, Ontario and Ottawa now both have legislative tools – Bill 5 and Bill C-5 – that allow for designated projects to bypass existing regulations, but this has not previously applied to Ring of Fire projects. 

Other federal assessments underway

The Impact Assessment Agency is currently conducting a regional assessment for the entire Ring of Fire area in partnership with 15 First Nations, but that process does not focus on individual projects like Wyloo’s Eagle’s Nest.

In late October, Neskantaga First Nation lodged a request with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change asking to designate Eagle’s Nest for federal impact assessment. 

“Eagle’s Nest is a substantial project on its own, and could have enormous and irreversible region opening induced effects, including the potential to cause significant and long-lasting adverse effects within core areas of federal jurisdiction,” argues the community in a letter to Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin. 

Once built, Wyloo’s Eagle’s Nest would produce 3,000 tonnes of ore per day, including nickel, copper, palladium and platinum. It’s likely to be the first operational mine in the Ring of Fire, opening up the wider region to rapid development. 

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada is currently analyzing whether the project should be designated under the IAA, with a response expected in late February. 

A few weeks after Neskantaga made its request in late October, the head of the Impact Assessment Agency (IAAC), Terence Hubbard, wrote a letter to the Ontario government reiterating that Eagle’s Nest is not subject to federal assessment. 

The letter also states IAAC is committed to accelerating the remaining federal assessments for the region as a whole and for the roads that will lead to the deposit. 

“IAAC confirms that the federal assessments can be completed before the provincial timeline for early works, which we understand to be June 2026, provided that the information requested from the province, and the final Impact Statements from proponents, are submitted without delay,” writes Hubbard. 

He adds that some early works, like procuring materials to build roads and upgrading the airport could take place in advance of federal decisions. 

“With respect to the ongoing Regional Assessment in the Ring of Fire Area, IAAC confirms that it will not impact timelines for individual project assessments nor create any obligations on Ontario,” reads the letter. 

Co-operation agreement 

Ottawa and Ontario plan on promoting their recently concluded cooperation agreement for projects that require both federal and provincial assessments in a ceremony Thursday. 

It is unclear what the agreement means for the Ring of Fire, as substituting federal assessments currently underway with provincial oversight mechanisms is unlikely to speed up road building or the regional evaluation process.

The cooperation agreement also says Ontario’s assessments must meet federal standards, and it’s unclear how that will play out given the province recently changed its assessment laws.

The cooperation agreement could, however, come into play more meaningfully should the IAAC decide Eagle’s Nest or other Ring of Fire projects need federal assessments in the coming months.

Deregulation or cooperation? 5 provinces now have deals with Ottawa on project assessment