Fedeli stays put in cabinet

The more things change the more they stay the same for Vic Fedeli.

Premier Doug Ford had his new cabinet sworn in Thursday and the Nipissing Mpp-elect is staying put in the cabinet post he held before the June 2 provincial election.

Fedeli was named minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, with an additional mandate for small business.

Fedeli also remains chair of cabinet, which he says gives him “knowledge” of every cabinet file. This is what Fedeli has been doing for almost three years after one year as finance minister.

“The premier and I have a couple of exceptionally large EV (Electric Vehicles) related deals that are coming to fruition,” Fedeli said Thursday.

“We worked on those during the campaign and the caretaker period. We continued to advance these projects, as the prospects were unable to suspend their site selections just for us.

“These are rapidly moving opportunities for us, and the window is only open for a short period of time.”

This is the go-to industry, says Fedeli.

“We are investing so much because of the employment here in Ontario. All the head offices decided they are making electric vehicles. We must fight to make sure our share stays in Ontario; those are multi-national, multi-billion-dollar decisions over where to position these plants world-wide. We need to be ready in Ontario to be a big part of it.”

Timmins MPP George Pirie is the new minister of Mines, with a mandate to develop the Ring of Fire deposits.

Timmins went blue after more than 30 years as an NDP stronghold.

Fedeli was pleased with that development.

“Very excited about that, the whole mining crunch is on critical minerals. There is a world-wide demand for these types of minerals.”

What are the next steps for passenger rail service in Northeastern Ontario?

Fedeli says there is more good news on that front.

“In the premier’s speech he mentioned the return of the Northlander and northern transportation.”

Fedeli says the premier’s focus on the North bodes well for the region.