Ford to accelerate strategic resource development as part of ‘Fortress Am-Can’ plan

Ontario Premier Doug Ford continues to make his case for how the province will take the lead for Canada in the midst of President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats.

On Monday, he outlined the province’s plan to accelerate strategic resource development, including minerals in the Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario to build “Fortress Am-Can.”

Ford has touted his Am-Can plan as a “renewed strategic alliance” between Canada and the United States as a “beacon of stability, security and long term economic growth on both sides of the border.”

“Fortress AM-CAN can achieve energy security to power economic growth on both sides of the border … Ontario and Canada’s abundant supply of critical minerals essential for the advanced military technologies that will define geopolitical and economic security for the next century are a key strategic advantage,” explained Trump.

The province’s plan includes accelerating federal and provincial regulatory approval timelines for current and planned critical mineral projects and building the roads, highways and other infrastructure required to access, develop and operate new critical minerals mines and processing facilities.

It comes after Alberta’s premier Danielle Smith met with Trump face-to-face to talk tariffs and Canada’s importance to the U.S.

“We had a friendly conversation, and I thought quite constructive, during which I emphasized the mutual importance of the U.S.-Canada relationship, and specifically, how hundreds of thousands of jobs are supported in the United States by energy exports from Alberta,” said Smith.

However, she said the outlook still seemed bleak.

“I think we need to be prepared that tariffs are coming … I think we’ve all seen the biggest irritant to the United States are trade deficits, which they believe they have,” Smith added.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders say Ford needs to focus on Ontario.

“With the kind of uncertainty we’re seeing in Ottawa right now, Doug Ford needs to put the good of the province ahead of his own political interests and he needs and he needs to shelve these early election plans. This is a moment when we need to stand together,” said Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles.

“All eyes should be focused on a united approach to create a strategy to combat a threat, a very certain threat, coming from the United States,” added Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie.