The objectives of the Ontario Prospectors Association are to represent and further the interests of the mineral exploration industry and the interests of prospectors. Our mission is to enhance and promote the Ontario mineral exploration and development community to foster a healthy mining industry.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The Board of Directors of the Ontario Prospectors Association (OPA) regrets that Bill 191, the Far North Act, was passed after the third reading by the Ontario Legislature.
The OPA believes the present form of the Far North Act will cripple exploration and related economic development in Ontario’s Boreal Forest lands, an area recently demonstrated once again to hold vast mineral deposits within the “Ring of Fire” chromite (stainless steel) and copper, nickel and platinum group element (automobile pollution control) discoveries. While the timing of the discovery and onset of development of the Ring of Fire has fortunately preceded royal proclamation of the Far North Act, future capital investment will not freely flow into the legal limbo created by Far North Act in its current form.
The OPA applauds the Far North Act’s recognition and support for Community-based Land Use Planning amongst the region’s First Nation communities. However, advance selection of a 50% (225,000sq km) protection target under the Far North Act’s proposed grid of “interconnected” waterway parks and protected spaces will ensure a 100% loss of potential for future discoveries and related economic development in this vast area of high mineral potential.
Exploration and mining in Ontario’s north have historically been mainstays of the economies of both northern and southern Ontario. The Far North Act in its present form represents a potential loss of economic opportunity.