TORONTO, April 15, 2026 — Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce met with ethnic media representatives Wednesday evening at Columbus Centre in North York, where he outlined the province’s current priorities on energy, mining, investment, jobs and housing affordability, while also emphasizing the role of ethnic media in connecting immigrant communities with public policy information.
Lecce was joined by Aris Babikian, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, at the roundtable, which began at 6:30 p.m. at Columbus Centre, 901 Lawrence Ave. W. in North York.
According to the event organizers, the session was intended to recognize the important role ethnic media plays in informing and connecting diverse communities, while also giving Lecce an opportunity to share insights from his recent trip to Washington, D.C., where he met with senior officials from the U.S. Department of Energy and the White House.
Speaking at the event, Lecce said the Washington trip had two main objectives. The first, he said, was to make the case directly to U.S. officials that Canada and Ontario are leaders in nuclear energy and critical minerals. The second was to make clear that the review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, or USMCA, must move forward before any further progress can be made on broader critical minerals cooperation.
Lecce said the United States wants access to Canada’s critical minerals and energy resources, and that Ontario is aligned with the federal government in insisting that the trade review process must come first.
He said that until there is greater stability for Ontario workers and the provincial economy, the government will continue to diversify export opportunities beyond the U.S. while also accelerating mine development and nuclear energy projects within Ontario.
On mining policy, Lecce said Ontario has passed legislation aimed at speeding up mine approvals by about 50 per cent. He said some mining projects in the province previously faced approval timelines of up to 15 years, and that the government is now working to shorten those timelines in order to improve project delivery and attract investment.
Lecce also highlighted several recent provincial economic and affordability measures. On investment and employment, he said Ontario’s auto sector has attracted about $4 billion in investment, which he said is intended to support local job creation and help younger workers build their futures in the province.
On small business policy, Lecce said small and medium-sized businesses remain central to Ontario’s economy and account for about 90 per cent of jobs. He said the province has introduced tax relief measures for small businesses to help lower operating costs.
Housing affordability was another major topic discussed during the event. Lecce said the provincial government is pressing, and urging federal cooperation, to remove the HST on new homes in order to reduce purchase costs. He said the measure could save homebuyers in the Greater Toronto Area up to about $130,000.
Lecce said the broader goal of the province’s current agenda is to support businesses, reduce housing costs, create jobs and strengthen economic growth through energy and resource development.
He also described ethnic media as an important bridge to immigrant communities, saying such outlets help newcomers access public information, better understand government policies and connect with local society. He said the government values the role ethnic media plays in reaching multicultural communities and in bringing forward the concerns of those communities.
The event concluded with a question-and-answer session followed by a reception.(LJI by Tony)
