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The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is voicing strong support for the Government of Ontario’s bold and visionary step forward in launching a feasibility study for a new East-West Canadian Energy Corridor.
Earlier today (August 7th, 2025), the Province of Ontario issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to examine the potential for a new economic and energy corridor stretching from Alberta to Ontario, including new pipeline infrastructure built entirely within Canada. The initiative seeks to strengthen national energy security, protect Canadian access to domestically produced oil and gas, and create good-paying jobs across the country.
“This is exactly the kind of nation-building project Northern Ontario needs and deserves to be a part of,” said FONOM President Danny Whalen. “By including Northern Ontario in this corridor—whether through a deep-sea port on the James Bay coast, expanded refinery capacity, or upgrades to local infrastructure—Ontario is recognizing the North’s vital role in securing the country’s energy future.”
FONOM applauds the Ontario government’s commitment to building the corridor using Ontario and Canadian steel, wood and labour, while also respecting Indigenous consultation obligations and advancing economic reconciliation through potential Indigenous equity participation. These are critical steps in building an inclusive and resilient Canadian energy network.
The study will also examine the viability of a Canadian Strategic Petroleum Reserve—an emergency stockpile of petroleum resources that could shield Canadians from external disruptions—and will explore how complementary investments like roads, grid infrastructure, broadband expansion, and port development in the North can maximize the corridor’s national impact.
Premier Doug Ford, along with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, emphasized the corridor’s importance for protecting jobs, boosting trade, and increasing Canada’s self-reliance in the face of global instability and energy insecurity.
“FONOM is encouraged by Ontario’s clear recognition that unlocking the full economic potential of this project must include Northern communities,” added Whalen. “We look forward to working with Premier Ford and Minister Pirie to ensure that our municipalities are meaningfully involved as planning and consultation efforts move ahead.”
FONOM will continue to advocate for infrastructure investments that connect, strengthen, and support the long-term prosperity of Northern Ontario within a more competitive and sovereign Canada
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