‘The mining rush for green energy’: Why Ontario chiefs are asking for a moratorium on claims – by Matteo Cimellaro (National Observer – January 29, 2024)

https://www.nationalobserver.com/

Today, anybody can make a mining claim on the Ontario government’s website as long as they have a few minutes, a computer and $50. The mineral claims process happens in an electronic heartbeat, and claims are marked on a digitized map.

The result is a flood of claims on First Nations territories, huge administrative pileups and frustration among First Nations that say they are not being consulted and have no capacity to deal with the sheer volume of mineral claims.

Last week, the Chiefs of Ontario called for a moratorium on mining claims to deal with the problems connected with the onslaught of stakes linked to the province’s digital mineral lands administration system, Ontario chiefs told Canada’s National Observer.

Critical minerals now hold the means to Canada’s green industrial transition, but it’s becoming clear that the pathway to a green future runs through First Nations, who say they are not being adequately consulted or heard by governments pushing for mining development.

For the rest of this article: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/01/29/news/mining-rush-green-energy-why-ontario-chiefs-are-asking-moratorium