Ontario submitted its application under the federal government's Building Canada fund to get Canada to match the figure. Gravelle said the ask, formally submitted by economic development minister Brad Duguid, was very detailed.

"There have been many detailed discussions about it beforehand as there will be afterword," Gravelle said. "Certainly the federal government is very familiar with the project. They're very familiar with the infrastructure needs."

Ontario is eligible for around $2.7 billion under the fund. But the province chose instead to try and access the $4 billion unallocated so far and set aside in the fund for national infrastructure, something Gravelle said the federal government needs to recognize. The Ring of Fire is a nationally significant project.

They met and we know what each side's position is on what federal fund and how much is available.

The question is, which do they think is the best route and would it be road, rail or slurry pipeline with service road involved with 'including the cost of transporting the ore out of Ontario's north to a processing facility?'