June 6, 2011 – Republic of Mining

Daily Commercial News and Construction Record

Talk about construction and many people automatically think downtown and high-rise. But in fact it’s the polar opposite hundreds of kilometres north of Ontario’s industrial heartland, where some of the biggest projects go in the opposite direction, plunging close to three kilometres towards the Earth’s inner core.

It’s this environment that’s home to northern Ontario’s red-hot multi-billion-dollar mining and mining-construction sectors.

While revenues in Ontario from mining operations were pegged at roughly $10 billion last year, sales of related supplies and services rang in at $5.3 billion and could reach $6 billion this year, says Dick DeStefano, executive director of the Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Service Association (SAMSSA).

“The mining supply and service industry is being pushed fairly dramatically by a number of new explorations and expansions in northern Ontario,” DeStefano says.

Sales figures include actual supplies and services that don’t fit neatly into a construction umbrella, but the rise in activity is keeping construction-related firms busy building everything from roads and housing, to headframes and tunnels.

The Mining Association of Canada (MAC)’s mission is to promote, through the collective action of members, the growth and development of Canada’s mining and mineral-processing industry, for the benefit of all Canadians.

Dear Prime Minister Harper:

On behalf of the Mining Association of Canada, please accept our congratulations on the result of the May 2 federal election and your re-election with a majority mandate. This mandate provides you with a great opportunity to continue addressing the economic and social challenges that face our nation. We would like to use this opportunity to offer views from Canada’s mining industry with respect to some of the priority issues we believe should be addressed during your mandate.

The Canadian mining industry is a key contributor to Canada’s economic strength and is currently experiencing a marked resurgence driven by strong commodity prices, stimulating new investment, rising exploration, and growing exports. The industry accounts for some 19 per cent of Canadian exports, contributes over $10 billion in annual payments to governments, and provides business for 3,200 supplier companies, including around half of the freight revenue of Canada’s railroads.

While important in remote communities, the industry also generates prosperity in our major cities — Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary, and Saskatoon — all feature areas of global mining leadership. The Canadian industry is viewed internationally as a leader in the corporate social responsibility field, making large investments in education and health-care facilities, nutrition programs, and community facilities in developing countries. The industry also reports progress each year against the mandatory social and environmental requirements of MAC’s respected Towards Sustainable Mining initiative.

Mining activity near Sudbury, Ontario keeps construction firms busy – by Saul Chernos

The Mining Association of Canada: Seize the opportunity to do more [for Canada Mining]