PC Leader Tim Hudak

Ontario's Progressive Conservatives gave the northwest a glimpse of their vision for northern development. Tim Hudak spoke to those at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association on Friday. Norm Miller, Progressive Conservative critic for Northern Development and Mines says one of their goals will be to increase mining activity near the Ring of Fire, while benefiting surrounding communities.

"We would set a target for the permitting of ten new mines in the time of our first government. We believe that communities and First Nations should benefit from those new mines. We're proposing that a share of the mining royalty from new mines would go to municipalities and to First Nations," he said.

Miller also mentions plans for a transportation route, as well as a single minister in charge of the Ring of Fire.

"We'd like to see some action on that, particularly towards expediting the building of an all-season transportation link to the Ring of Fire deposits. What we would do is put a single provincial minister in charge of ensuring that the Ring of Fire gets moving, gets turned into jobs and the economic prosperity that it can be," he said.

He also says they are proposing to scrap the controversial Far North Act.

"It's really taken half of all of far north and put it out of bounds for any economic activity. We think that's just bad for northern Ontario. It was legislation passed by the current Liberal government, really, to satisfy southern Ontario interests," he said.

"We would give northerners more control over how their land is used and developed. We would allow for more development of Crown land.

Municipal leaders in the northwest have been campaigning for northern autonomy, including Kenora mayor Dave Canfield and Sioux Lookout mayor Dennis Leney. Miller says northern decision making has been a common topic in the northwest, noting the years he's served as the Northern Development and Mines critic.