Record spending in mineral exploration

A record amount of funds went into mineral exploration in Ontario last year, according to the president of the Boreal Prospectors Association.
“Eight-hundred and twenty-five million dollars was spent in exploration in Ontario as a whole,” said Michael Fox, president of the Boreal Prospectors Association.
The Boreal Prospectors Association hosted a prospector’s symposium in Sioux Lookout March 1-3 to review and discuss new Ontario Mining Act regulations.
“We showcased communities that had been involved in mineral exploration,” Fox said. “Kasabonoka outlined the journey they have been on as a community ... to look at mineral potential in their traditional area.”
The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry also presented three sets of regulations associated with the new Ontario Mining Act for which they are looking for feedback from Aboriginal communities, including regulations on sites of Aboriginal significance.
“There are now tools in that set of regulations that will help communities to protect before staking, which is what they call the withdrawal — the ability to withdraw areas from staking,” Fox said. “Even after staking, the community has the ability to go through the process around surface restrictions within sites of Aboriginal significance.”
Fox said the second set of proposed regulations deals with plans and permits, where anyone involved in exploration, including prospectors, junior exploration companies and major companies, will now be required to submit plans to the government and the government will facilitate an education process on those plans to communities.
“Explorers will now require a permit to be approved,” Fox said.
Fox said the new Ontario Mining Act calls for early notification, more early engagement and more formal consultation compared to the old Mining Act which didn’t call for duty to consult until the advanced exploration stage.
Fox said the third set of proposed regulations deals with Aboriginal consultation.
“That was related to land permits,” Fox said. “They went through the more detailed in-house procedure on how they are going to facilitate information, engagement and consultation.”