March 6, 2011 – Republic of Mining

PwC NEWS RELEASE: China’s role in global mining M&A overstated – Canadian buyers top world

March 10, 2011March 6, 2011

China ramps up deal activity, but Canada outpaced the nation in 2010 36% to 6%: PwC report

Click here for: You Can’t Always Get What You Want: Global Mining Deals 2010

TORONTO, Mar. 3, 2011— Dispelling the myth that China is amassing de facto control of the world’s mining resources via mergers and acquisitions (M&A), data for the decade ended December 010 shows China remains a small player in global mining M&A. In 2010, only 6% of global mining
deals involved Chinese acquirers, compared to acquirers from Canada (36%), the United States (16%) nd Australia (16%), according to PwC’s new Mining Deals report released today.

Canada has always been a top destination for mining deals, but this year, Canada also topped buy-side ctivity – both within Canada and abroad.

“The reality is China has been a very active investor in global mining projects in recent years, but its urrent market share pales in comparison to Canada and other developed countries,” says John yholt, National Leader of Transaction Services, PwC. “Chinese-led M&A this decade has been
impressive, but consider that Rio Tinto and Xstrata alone have completed more acquisitions during he first ten years of this millennium than all Chinese buyers collectively.”

The PwC report tracked 713 deals in 2010 that involved a Canadian buyer compared to 161 involving a Chinese buyer. Year-end results bring the decade ended 2010 tally to 400 Chinese deals worth close to US$48 billion, which is considerable given Chinese buyers were negligible players in mining M&A only ten years ago.

[Toronto PDAC] Mining convention: Let the hard rockin’ begin – by Lisa Wright

March 6, 2011

Lisa Wright is a business reporter with the Toronto Star, which has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on Canada’s federal and provincial politics as well as shaping public opinion. This article was originally published March 6, 2011.

Lisa Wright (Toronto Star Business Reporter)

With demand for metals red hot again, it feels like the Klondike for miners. An army of 25,000 from 125 countries is expected to show at the industry’s biggest annual blast, opening today in Toronto

Amid boom times in the metals business, the centre of corporate Canada will be transformed into a mining mecca this week as thousands prospectors converge at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to dig for deals and take advantage of skyrocketing prices.

Investors are also welcome to attend the annual industry blast known as the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention. The hard-rock bonanza draws all walks of the mineral exploration business from the guys who stake claims in the bush to brokers and bankers, students, salesmen, geoscientists and mining company executives from more than 100 countries.

The PDAC’s new president, Scott Jobin-Bevans, says a lot has changed since the first time he attended with his dad — both geologists from Flin Flon, Man. — about 20 years ago when the event was at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

“I would say the big difference is the sheer size of it. It’s a monster now,” he says.

NEWS RELEASE: Building A Stronger Northern Economy: McGuinty Government Delivers Growth Plan For The North

March 6, 2011

Click here for: Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, 2011

NEWS March 4, 2011

The 25-year Growth Plan for Northern Ontario will help create a stronger, more diverse and sustainable Northern economy.

This robust plan was developed with northerners for northerners. It will guide decisionmaking and investment planning in the region. To move the plan forward, the government will immediately:

Establish a Northern Policy Institute. The institute will play a key role in implementing and monitoring the growth plan
Develop a long-term strategy to create a more integrated transportation infrastructure system for air, rail, road and water.
Bring together northern community and business leaders to support regional economic planning, business innovation and entrepreneurship. This will help retain and attract investment in the North.

The growth plan is an important part of the province’s Open Ontario Plan. It will help attract people and investments to the region, support training, education and employment opportunities, create a highly qualified workforce and position the northern economy to compete on a global scale.

Northern Mayors Task Force/Northeastern Ontario Municipal Association (NEOMA) Policy Paper (February 28, 2011)

March 6, 2011

PRESENTATION to Minister Michael Gravelle, Ministry of Northern Development, Mines & Forestry

Submitted by: Northern Mayors Task Force Northeastern Ontario Municipal Association (NEOMA)

February 28, 2011
Toronto, Ontario

On behalf of the Northern Mayors Task Force and the Northeastern Ontario Municipal Association (NEOMA), we would like to thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today.

Northern municipal governments are united in their aspirations for the future of those it serves. Northern municipal governments are tasked with building communities, balancing budgets and delivering a wealth of services. Our objectives are grounded in knowledge that much more can be accomplished when governments work together. We worked together to help weather the recent economic storm.

Although there are many important issues facing northern Ontario communities, we will focus on the following issues, which are of major importance to northern communities:
• Government legislation and policy
• The deterioration of the property tax base
• Infrastructure
• Energy
• Transportation

GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION AND POLICY

It is crucial to ensure that Provincial Policies and Legislation reflect the realities of Northern Ontario’s context in order to ensure that development is not inhibited. Currently, policy and legislation development are driven by the context of Southern Ontario rather than Northern Ontario’s context. Unlike Southern Ontario where growth management consists of trying to control and contain rapid growth, the North needs a plan to accelerate growth.