Canadian Mining Groups Outline Top Priorities at Annual Conference

A national coalition of mining associations shared policy recommendations at Canada’s Energy and Mines Ministers Conference on Monday (August 14). 
The federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for energy and mining portfolios met in St. Andrews, New Brunswick for their 74th annual conference. This year’s theme was “Towards a Clean Growth in Canada’s Energy and Mines Sectors.”
“Industry and government have an opportunity to work together to enhance exploration financing, infrastructure development and the regulatory certainty needed for a successful mineral exploration and mining industry in Canada, a sector that is increasingly recognized for its innovation and sustainability,” said PDAC President Glenn Mullan.

Canada is well regarded as a stable jurisdiction, and two Canadian provinces are at the top of the Fraser Institute’s latest Investment Attractiveness Index. Saskatchewan, a potash and uranium hotspot, secured the highest ranking, and Manitoba, which is home to nickel, copper, zinc and gold operations, came second out of the 104 jurisdictions evaluated.
BC and Ontario fell in the rankings, but Quebec improved. In a separate Fraser Institute study, respondents said they waited longer for permits in BC than in other Canadian provinces and felt that the permitting process was less transparent.  
The coalition outlined six policy areas that could be improved to attract new mineral investment in a brief submitted to the Canadian Mineral Industry Federation:

1. Improve the regulatory process
2. Support indigenous participation in the mining sector
3. Adopt effective climate change policies
4. Carefully consider land use and withdrawals
5. Address the costs of operating in remote and northern Canada
6. Support industry’s innovation investments

“Canada’s mining industry, which operates some of the lowest-emitting, highest-tech, and socially-responsible mining operations globally, is looking forward to working with governments, communities and Indigenous peoples to get the foundational pieces in place to foster future growth and achieve our collective vision,” stated Pierre Gratton, president and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada.
A delegation of indigenous groups from across Canada presented a petition urging the ministers to do more to protect the environment and communities impacted by mining.
“We’re not against ‘clean growth’ or ‘clean energy,’ but these must not be empty words. We’re here to alert the public and our governments that there are still serious problems with the way mining is done in this country, and that there can’t be any clean growth or clean energy without first having clean mining,” said Jacinda Mack, coordinator for First Nations Women Advocating for Responsible Mining.
The conference wraps up on Tuesday afternoon with an energy efficiency announcement from Jim Carr, Canada’s natural resources mininster, and Rick Doucet, New Brunswick’s energy and resource development minister.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Shaw, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.