THUNDER BAY -- The province is doing everything it can to make the Ring of Fire attractive and competitive for business, says Charles Sousa.

The Liberal finance minister was in Thunder Bay Friday for pre-budget consultations, hearing from around 40 groups throughout the afternoon. Sousa said people understand that there are fiscal challenges in Ontario and that the province needs find a balance between being competitive and compassionate when it comes to spending.

"It's not about creating more government, it's about creating more opportunity," he said before consultation, which was closed to media, began.

Noront Resources is one of only two companies left in the Ring of Fire, and its project is in limbo while it awaits provincial permits. The company argued recently that Ontario is at-risk of becoming a place that business wants to stay away from.

Despite this, Sousa said getting the Ring of Fire going is a priority for the Liberal government. He said the $1 billion in last year's budget for the project is proof.

"We're working hard with the federal government to try and match that," he said. "It's not just critical for the communities in the North that $60 billion opportunity is good for Ontario and it's good for Canada."

Focus on economic activity is key and even factors into a particular sore spot for the region in MPAC reassessments.

"We're sensitive to that and we're making mitigation and some offsets where necessary, more importantly though it's about economic development, it's about continuing to spur that investment in Thunder Bay and the region to enable us to generate greater revenues through increased economic activity," he said.

In a meeting with Sousa prior to the consultation, city officials brought up MPAC along with infrastructure and the proposed event centre.

"I think the minister is quite aware of that and we're optimistic that things may occur, may happen. We'll have to see what's in the budget," Coun. Joe Virdiramo said.

For Mike Lundy, who represents correctional officers at the Thunder Bay District Jail as OPSEU 737 president, he said he gives credit to the fact that Sousa came to the city and met on budget issues.

"I still don't believe anything that's coming out of their mouths right now. I say 'show me," he said.

OPSEU members of the Ontario public service could strike this year even though employees only want a modest wage increase in line with the cost of living Lundy said.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler attended Friday to ask Sousa to start funding programming and get First Nations policing to become an essential policing service.

Fidler says the system in place right now just isn’t working.

He also wanted to remind the government to start funding recommendations made by retired Supreme Court Justice Frank Iacobucci to improve First Nations' access to the justice system.

"It continues to fail our communities," he said.