What are some of the key topics of discussion for the Ontario Mining Association (OMA) and its members so far in 2023?

As always, we are focused on areas that have the potential to improve the competitiveness of Ontario's mining industry, while promoting safety, environmental stewardship, and sustainability. This includes addressing energy capacity shortfalls in the province by developing a cost-sharing model with the government and seeking ways to ensure a competitive, predictable cost of energy. This is crucial for our sector, and we believe that a forward-looking strategy needs to focus on energy infrastructure and capacity while incentivizing innovation to further bolster our competitive advantage. Another focal point for our members is advancing reconciliation and continuing to build strong, respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples. 

The path to success involves aligning interests and enabling economic benefits to accrue in all communities, but especially in remote Indigenous communities, where mining can have an outsized impact on the local economy and people’s lives. Of course, we want this impact to be positive. As demand for responsibly mined minerals continues to grow, we find ourselves with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop our abundant natural resources in a way that is environmentally sustainable and economically viable, becoming the global supplier of choice for critical minerals and clean technology. Ontario needs decisive action on creating an enabling regulatory environment, and we are encouraged to see momentum building on modernizing regulations, with the government signaling strong support for the mining sector, a willingness to accelerate projects, and by extension, the transition to a green economy. 

Finally, we have been focused on the one thing without which we cannot possibly capitalize on the current opportunities, and that is: people. We are facing a talent crunch and have been devising ways to support a future-ready workforce and boost labor market participation in the mining sector.

How has the ‘This is Mining’ campaign developed and what additional efforts are needed to help address the challenge of labor shortages in the industry? 

A strong, sustainable mining industry requires a strong, sustainable workforce. To encourage more young people to consider a career in mining, we have transitioned ‘This Is Mining’ to ‘This Is Mine Life’, a campaign that lets youth discover how mine life aligns with their personal purpose, abilities, and lifestyle goals. As with all our outreach efforts, the campaign is data-driven, and we are grateful to the Ontario Labor Market Partnerships program for supporting a Labor Assessment Study, which is helping us understand the most urgent skills gaps, and ensure we are communicating to the right audience about the right career opportunities in Ontario’s mining industry. We envision ‘This is Mine Life’ as a multi-year, multi-stage, multi-partner collaborative effort.

What impact do you see the 'Building More Mines’ Act having?

The ‘Building More Mines Act’, which amended Ontario’s Mining Act, represents continued steps by the government to improve and streamline the mineral permitting process and regulatory oversight, consistent with the province’s Critical Minerals Strategy, which sets out our ambition to seize the economic and environmental opportunities that can be unlocked by locally sourcing critical minerals required to manufacture environmentally friendly technologies, such as electric vehicles. We were very impressed with how the government conducted the consultation process when developing the Act and regulations – they considered a broad array of perspectives and incorporated valuable input from expert practitioners. We are pleased to continue working constructively with the policy team to come up with meaningful solutions to eliminate overly complicated, duplicative, and unnecessary rules, while optimizing important regulations that protect people’s health, safety, and the environment. 

The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks’ proposal of a permit-by-rule system holds great promise as an innovative approach to shorten timelines without compromising environmental protection. We also see potential in a one-window approach, where the Ministry of Mines would be the environmental regulator for mining, with the closure plan as the key regulatory instrument that oversees mining activities.

Why is the Ring of Fire an advantageous region to explore and develop? 

The Ring of Fire has the potential to produce minerals — such as nickel and copper — which are in high demand, as the race to reach global net-zero emissions accelerates, and countries around the world seek to respond to emerging geopolitical challenges by creating reliable supply chains for critical minerals. Economic analysis shows that the Ring of Fire has the potential to generate tens of billions of dollars in economic activity and create thousands of new jobs across the province. It also embodies the ambition set out in our Critical Minerals Strategy – of becoming a key player in the global energy transition. Crucially, responsible mining development in the area aligns with the values and goals of Indigenous leaders, who support being active participants in facilitating climate solutions, while working towards economic reconciliation. 

What are the OMA’s main objectives for the remainder of 2023 and 2024?

We will build on our ongoing efforts to identify health and safety solutions, address the mining sector’s ESG priorities, improve Ontario’s competitiveness, support stronger supply chains, and drive innovation. We will also maintain our focus on people, who are instrumental to continual improvement in every aspect of mining, and without whom we cannot create a strong, secure, and resilient mining supply ecosystem that positions Ontario as the global supplier of choice for critical minerals.