The lieutenant governor has granted royal assent to the Ford government’s controversial mining legislation, among other bills, officially passing it into law at Queen’s Park on Thursday.

Just after midday, final sign-off was granted for Bill 5 , or the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act. The law will create so-called special economic zones where projects can bypass various provincial laws.

The legislation has sparked a storm of backlash from First Nations leaders who are promising a summer of disruption and protests in response to a law they believe infringes on their treaty rights.

As Progressive Conservative MPPs gave Bill 5 approval on its final reading Wednesday, the last legislative step, the galleries exploded with opposition, mainly from First Nations members who t

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