Ontario asks if ‘moon shot’ projects should go ahead under special economic zone law
Written by The Canadian Press on October 2, 2025
TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government is moving ahead with its plan to create so-called special economic zones to push forward projects it deems important, and is considering including “moon shot” ideas to qualify.
The power to designate parts of the province as special economic zones was created in the controversial Bill 5, a law the government says is necessary to speed up construction of large infrastructure projects, particularly mines, in a time of global economic uncertainty.
The law allows cabinet to suspend provincial and municipal laws in special economic zones, and the province is now consulting on a draft of the criteria for designating specific zones, projects and project proponents.
The proposed criteria for projects include having significant and long-term benefits for Ontario, strengthening local communities and having a high likelihood of success.
However, the government is also contemplating whether projects unlikely to succeed should be included, asking as a question in the consultations: “Should potentially important ‘moon shot’ projects be put forward if they could have enormous impact, even if they have a low likelihood of success?”
The consultation documents stress that all laws will continue to apply in a special economic zone until specific ones are exempted through regulation.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2025.
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press