Ontario Premier Doug Ford told a gathering of Premiers in Winnipeg that Ontario is in “desperate need of housing and infrastructure” and complained the Federal government is slowing things down by duplicating environmental assessments.

“Our environmental assessments are second to none, folks, the world is watching us right now, we have critical minerals that will flow down into the electric vehicle program with the electric vehicle revolution happening right here in Ontario,” Ford told reporters. “We have to make sure we get those critical minerals out of the ground as quickly as possible.”

Asked about rising interest rates, Ford said it’s a “great thing” that Ontario’s economy strong even as rates go up.

On another matter, Ford says he didn’t approve the list of King’s Counsel designates but adds he’s confident in how the Attorney General handled it and noted that he has “more important issues than putting KC behind a bunch of lawyer’s names.”

Canada’s premiers are discussing a host of topics including housing, healthcare affordability and more.