2014 Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference
BACKGROUNDER – CANADA’S ANNUAL ENERGY AND MINES MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE – MINING
Mining and exploration activities contribute significant economic and social benefits to Canada’s provinces and territories. At the Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference (EMMC), the mines ministers discuss current opportunities and challenges in the mining sector.
This year’s conference theme Our Resources, New Frontiers helps define the importance of mining to Canada’s economic future and the need to capture the opportunities ahead. Canada benefits immensely from mining, and continuing to innovate and develop mineral and metal resources responsibly is essential to maintaining the quality of life Canadians enjoy and value.
At this year’s conference, the ministers discussed priorities including enhancing the attractiveness of Canada as an exploration and mining jurisdiction, community engagement and readiness for resource development, progress of the Green Mining Initiative (GMI), and mandatory reporting standards for the extractive sector.
Benefits from Mining
Canada is a global mining giant. The minerals and metals sector makes a significant contribution to the Canadian economy, accounting for nearly $60 billion of Canada’s nominal GDP in 2013. There are more than 200 active mines in Canada, producing more than 60 minerals and metals.
The minerals and metals sector, along with mining support activities, provides employment for nearly 400,000 Canadians, including many in remote communities. It is an important employer of Aboriginal Peoples, providing more than 10,000 jobs in 2012. The sector offers many socio-economic benefits to Canadians, including high salaries, skills training for communities, business development opportunities and infrastructure such as roads, ports and railways.
As well, the industry pays significant corporate taxes and royalties that are critical to support programs and services Canadians across the country use every day, including education and health care.
Community Engagement and Readiness
The Ministers endorsed the report Good Practices in Community Engagement and Readiness: Compendium of Case Studies from Canada’s Minerals and Metals Sector. A collaborative effort of the federal, provincial and territorial governments, the Compendium features 22 case studies from governments, communities and industry in Canada that highlight good practices in community engagement and readiness for mineral resource development.
The case studies span the mineral development sequence, from exploration, mine development and production to mine closure and reclamation of depleted mine sites. They reveal that early and sustained engagement and partnerships among governments, industry and communities are critical at each stage of mineral development.
The case studies are now available on the Natural Resources Canada website.
Green Mining Initiative (GMI)
At EMMC 2013, the ministerstasked officials to carry out a pilot verification of one green mining technology. This year, they endorsed the report Green Mining Initiative – Pilot Environmental Technology Verification, which provides an update on the pilot project of an Automated Control of Ventilation System technology.
This technology has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of mining by decreasing ventilation energy consumption by at least 20 percent. It is being piloted through Environment Canada’s Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program to verify its environmental performance claims through credible, independent assessment.
The Green Mining Initiative (GMI) was created to help the Canadian mining industry address environmental issues through research and to develop new and better alternatives to existing technologies for mineral extraction, mineral processing and environmental reclamation.
Junior Mining Sector
Canada is known for its large contingent of junior mining companies, which are described as companies that do not have internally generated revenue and must raise funds to finance their exploration activities. These companies play an important role in the discovery and development of mineral projects, projects which may become mines and contribute to the regional, provincial/territorial and national economies.
A source of competitive advantage for Canada, the junior mining sector is currently challenged by a difficult operating context resulting from a negative minerals and metals market outlook, worldwide economic uncertainty, investor risk aversion, and other investment climate factors.
In 2013, exploration and deposit appraisal expenditures in Canada dropped to $2.3 billion from the 2012 total of $3.9 billion and the all-time high of $4.2 billion recorded in 2011. Expenditures of $2.1 billion are anticipated in 2014, approaching the cyclical low of $1.9 billion in 2009.
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Media may contact:Alexandra Lemieux
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Natural Resources and
Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
613-996-2007
or
Media Relations
Natural Resources Canada
Ottawa
613-992-4447
The general public may contact:
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Telephone: 613-995-0947
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E-mail: questions@nrcan.gc.ca