Ontario Mining Association

On October 30, 2018, the Ontario Mining Association celebrated the 40th anniversary of Meet the Miners, an annual event at which industry leaders meet with provincial decision-makers at Queen’s Park to share achievements, and to discuss issues of consequence to the industry and Ontarians.

Meet the Miners gives provincial policy makers and senior mining executives the opportunity to exchange ideas, so as to continue strengthening Ontario’s mining sector, while delivering real benefits to the people in this province.

“We are extremely proud of the progress our industry has made since this mining day tradition began in 1978,” said Duncan Middlemiss, President and Chief Executive Officer at Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd., and Chair of the OMA Board of Directors. “In that time, we’ve become one of the safest mining jurisdictions in the world, and one of the safest industries in Ontario. We’re on the forefront of adopting technologies and processes that are shaping the mine of the future — with clean, productive and socially-responsible operations.

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http://www.oma.on.ca/en/index.asp

Every year for 39 years, mining industry leaders meet with provincial decision-makers at Queen’s Park for a full day of events focused on issues that matter to our industry and to the people of Ontario. “Meet the Miners” gives members of the Legislature and senior mining executives the opportunity to exchange ideas to continue strengthening Ontario’s mining sector, while delivering real benefits to the people in this province.

On November 1, 2017, the focus of “Meet the Miners” was on the mining sector’s exceptional potential to contribute to the economic development of Ontario, provided good policy and governance frameworks are in place.

“The history of Ontario demonstrates that mining can transform people’s lives and communities for the better,” noted OMA Chair Duncan Middlemiss. “As we seek to improve quality of life, while confronting global challenges like climate change, mining – and specifically, Ontario mining – is very much part of the solution.

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http://www.oma.on.ca/en/

Every year for almost 40 years, mining industry leaders meet with provincial decision-makers at Queen’s Park for a full day of events focused on issues that matter to our industry and to the people of Ontario. “Meet the Miners” gives members of the legislature and senior mining executives the opportunity to exchange ideas to continue strengthening Ontario’s mining sector, while delivering real benefits to the people in this province.

On October 26, 2016, the focus of “Meet the Miners” was on innovation and collaborative action to make Ontario’s mining industry the cleanest, most productive, technologically-advanced and socially responsible in the world.

“The recent downturn in global markets offers some important lessons for our sector,” noted OMA Chair Marc Lauzier. “To survive and flourish, we need to go beyond our natural competitive advantages and develop innovative strengths.” He added that, “Innovation a major determinant of global competitiveness and future success – increasingly, mining industry leaders, governments, investors and academics are rallying behind this notion.

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This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

The Ontario Mining Association is pleased to announce that Marc Lauzier, Goldcorp’s Vice President of Operational Support Canada US, has been appointed as Chair of the OMA for a two-year term. Marc replaces Kelly Strong, who left to take on the position of Vice President, North American Mining Operations at Nyrstar.

“Marc is passionate and deeply knowledgeable about issues that are important to OMA members, including health and safety, competitive energy pricing and efficiency, as well as research and development,” said Chris Hodgson, OMA President. “He is committed to helping the industry reach its goal of zero harm in the work environment, to innovate, and be a model mining jurisdiction globally. We are excited to continue to build successful partnerships and grow under his leadership.”

With over 24 years of experience in the mineral sector, including in safety, training, geology, technical services and operational management, Marc is considered a leader in his field. He began his career at Canamax Resources in 1990, and the following year joined Placer Dome, which is now known as Goldcorp. Marc has served in various capacities for the company and developed a reputation for strong strategic planning and delivering results.

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This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

(June 2, 2015) The Ontario Mining Association, and a coalition of major Ontario employers under the leadership of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), are calling on the provincial government to broaden its definition of a comparable pension plan under the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP).

In a letter addressed to Premier Kathleen Wynne, the coalition of more than 150 organizations is urging the government to expand its definition of pension plan comparability to include capital accumulation plans, including (but not limited to) Defined Contribution plans. This move would ensure that companies in the province that have an existing pension plan for their employees would not be forced to incur this new cost of doing business, thus undermining the province’s economic competitiveness.

Set for introduction in 2017, the ORPP will require employees and employers to contribute 1.9% each (3.8% combined) on an employee’s annual earnings up to $90,000. Employers who offer ‘comparable’ workplace savings plans will be exempt from contributing to the ORPP.

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This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

When assessing provincial revenues from mining, one must take into account that Ontario’s mining tax is really just the tip of the proverbial iceberg with regards to the sector’s economic contribution to the province. Mining tax is paid on top of all corporate taxes, payroll taxes, sales taxes, permitting fees and other business taxes. When added up, Ontario mining companies’ tax contributions to all levels of government are more than $1 billion annually, which pays for necessities such as roads, schools, hospitals, community centres, electrical grid access for remote communities, and other public good priorities. The value of mineral production in Ontario was $11 billion in 2014.

All jurisdictions must balance the need for capital investment to develop their mineral resources with the desire to increase revenue through higher taxation. There are many models for meeting this challenge – in Ontario, we don’t risk the taxpayer funding up front by paying for infrastructure and offering competitive hydro rates. Instead, we require mining companies to take on the risk, and subsequently offer tax breaks when the project is up and running, employing and spending.

Benchmarking the cost to mine in Ontario, therefore, requires “apples to apples” comparisons. Jurisdictions with higher mining tax rates have lower electricity prices and government cost-sharing on infrastructure. A recent report indicates that exploration and mining costs are particularly inflated in the North, where companies need to invest in lacking, but essential infrastructure such as ports, power plants, winter and permanent roads, and accommodation facilities.

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