Ont. premier pledges to preserve giant swath of northern boreal forest

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says forestry and mining activities will be prohibited in a 225,000-square-kilometre area of the province's northern boreal forest.

McGuinty says the government will work with First Nations and other residents to develop a plan to prohibit commercial activities in about half of the province's boreal forest.

And mining and forestry companies will have to consult early with First Nations before starting any new projects in the other half of Ontario's boreal forest.

McGuinty says Ontario will also develop a system to ensure resource revenues are shared with First Nations in the far north so they can, in his words, "get a piece of the action."

Mining generated about $11 billion in Ontario in 2007, and McGuinty promises the government will put some cash in the bank for First Nations this fall to get the revenue sharing started.

Last year, 1,500 scientists from 50 countries called on Canadian governments — federal, provincial and territorial — to protect the 5.6 million square kilometres of boreal forest in Canada.

The scientists say the forest is the largest carbon storehouse in the world, holding about 186 billion tonnes.

That's the equivalent of 27 years of global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels.