Ontario Mining Association

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.

Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation (MEDI) is now featuring mining on one of its marketing websites. Ontario’s mining sector and its contributions to the provincial economy are front and centre on MEDI’s website www.investinontario.com.

The industry is singled out in three sections: Mining in Ontario: Opportunities for growth; Mining in Ontario: What are the key activities? And; “Mining in Ontario: Who are the players?” The website touches on Ontario’s rich mineral endowment, its favourable access to capital, the strong mine supply and services sector, its fair mining laws and taxation and its skilled and educated workforce.

The site shows Ontario as home to 45% of Canada’s mine supply and services companies and that for attractiveness of mining policy, the province is ranked 13th out of 93 international jurisdictions, according to a Fraser Institute survey. The support of Ontario’s universities and colleges for mining is also demonstrated.

“It is most welcome to see an important ministry like MEDI feature the province’s mining industry on its website and showcase the attributes of our industry to the world,” said Ontario Mining Association President Chris Hodgson. “People in the sector know they are working in a world leading Canadian industry and it is good news to see MEDI help to share mining’s good news story.”

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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 recently released Ontario Mining Association economic contribution study “Mining: Dynamic and Dependable for Ontario’s Future” was highlighted at an academic forecasting conference yesterday. The study was a component of the program at the University of Toronto’s Policy and Economic Analysis Program’s (PEAP) bi-annual conference.

The main part of the PEAP conferences involves model construction and explanation for predicting future growth and growth rates in the Canadian economy and where that growth will be derived. Members of PEAP are predominantly economists involved in forecasting, planning and marketing for both private sector and public sector organizations.

In attendance yesterday were representatives from the financial services sector and other industries, the ministry of finance, economists from other industry associations and academia. PEAP works closely with government finance officials, banks and Statistics Canada in developing its projections. Domestic factors as well as global economic trends, which affect the Canadian economy, are examined by this group of specialists. Of particular interest were current social and economic trends in China, Europe and the United States.

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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.

An event at the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) this week reminded participants that Canada is the world’s preferred destination for mineral exploration investments. In 2011, $3 billion, or 18% of all global mineral exploration expenditures were made in Canada. For 2012, this number is expected to surpass $4 billion.

The Mining Association of Canada in cooperation with the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and the Ontario Mining Association organized this industry event. Federal Natural Resources Minister Honourable Joe Oliver, who is the MP for the riding of Eglinton-Lawrence, was the featured speaker.

“We all know Canada is a global mining economic powerhouse,” said Minister Oliver. “Mining and mineral exploration play a pivotal role in creating growth and jobs in Canada. The natural resource sector accounts for close to 20% of all economic activity in Canada and contributes to meeting Canada’s social priorities.”

Mr. Oliver spoke about his government’s support in working to open new and to expand existing markets for mineral producers and of its financial assistance to geoscience.

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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.

As the last leaves fall from the trees and we head into winter, all golfers should perhaps take a little time to thank mining. Yes, before heading to the first tee, or when you are lining up your next putt, or storing your clubs for the winter think about what enables you to play this game. Without mining, there are no pars, birdies or bogeys.

We know mining provides us with the building blocks essential to society in the 21st century. Our modern communications, transportation, electrical, business, health care and educational systems could not exist without products from mining. But mining is also vital to recreation — fun.

Canada, on a per capita basis, has more golfers than any other country in the world. In Canada, approximately six million people play, or attempt to play, golf on a regular basis. In Ontario, there are 2.3 million golfers, more than any other province. Canadians will play 90 million rounds of golf this year and spend more than $1 billion in green fees alone. Add in clothing, equipment, carts, lessons and refreshments for rehydration and it is multi-billion dollar activity.

Golf is big business in Canada. There are about 2,500 golf courses in the country. Each facility has an average of 31 employees – at least on a seasonal basis. Average annual capital expenditures per course can be in the $250,000 range and operating budgets can be more than $500,000 at each course.

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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.

Elizabeth Witmer, Chairman of Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), shared her vision for a modernized delivery of services and management of the province’s workers compensation system. She was a keynote speaker at the OMA’s Meet the Miners Day on October 30 at Queen’s Park.

“It is my opinion that mining is a key ingredient to Ontario’s economic growth and its future,” said Ms Witmer. “I commend you for your strong record in health and safety and I congratulate you for your accomplishments to reduce workplace injuries and the cost of workplace injuries.”

“The WSIB is almost 100 years old (it started in 1915) and it has been largely successful in serving the workers and employers of Ontario,” she said. “However, we need a bold new model for the workplace of today. The WSIB is being transformed to make it more financially sustainable.”

Recently, Ms Witmer announced a 2.5% increase in employers’ WSIB premiums for 2013. The WSIB is struggling to bring down its unfunded liability, which stands at about $14.2 billion. “The WSIB has a role to play in contributing to economic development and productivity but the WSIB’s unfunded liability is a drag on growth in the Ontario economy.”

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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.

Ontario’s mining industry continues to move towards the goal of zero harm in the workplace by 2015. Every avenue is being explored to reach that target. A presentation by Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer George Gritziotis at a recent Ontario Mining Association board of directors meeting helps to provide light for the path forward.

“The Prevention Council held its first meeting on September 28 and one of its priorities is a renewed focus on the Internal Responsibility System,” said Mr. Gritziotis. “Health and safety is a tier one public good.” He is looking into having a mine in Northern Ontario participate in a pilot project concerning the re-emphasis on the IRS.

Roy Slack, President of mine contractor Cementation Canada, represents the mining sector and Northern Ontario on the Prevention Council and he was described by Mr. Gritziotis as a “true champion of health and safety.”

Mr. Gritziotis outlined the priorities of the Prevention Council. They include support in health and safety for small employers and small businesses, for vulnerable workers such as youth, immigrants and older workers and for those in high hazard sectors.

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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 message that modern mining is a significant contributor to Ontario’s economy and society and a helpful partner in improving the province’s financial condition was well received at Queen’s Park. On Tuesday, October 30, the Ontario Mining Association and its member companies held their annual Meet the Miners event in the Legislature.

Although Ontario’s seat of government is a major international mining finance and services centre, this strength of the provincial economy is sometimes lost amidst the other activities in the city and the visible absence of mine headframes. It is important for the industry to constructively show its presence and its attributes from time to time in the province’s main political arena.

And the message is getting through. Mining has earned mention in recent provincial budgets and throne speeches and is gaining a larger presence in the business and mainstream media. CBC Radio recently included mining in a segment of the series “Toronto Juggernauts,” which featured strong and integral parts of the city’s economy.

There were several components to Meet the Miners Day this year. While the remnants of tropical storm Sandy may have left some mining participants awash with their travel plans and the prorogation of the Legislature found some MPPs in their home ridings, the participation rate was extremely high.

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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 congratulates member JS Redpath on reaching its fiftieth company birthday — today. Recently, a gala event to acknowledge this milestone was held at Memorial Gardens in North Bay, which attracted more than 400 guests including company founder Jim Redpath.

Local dignitaries and current and retired Redpath employees were also on hand at the celebratory event. Mr. Redpath established the mining contracting company in 1962, when he was 26 years of age.

Redpath is believed to be the first Canadian mine contractor to reach a fiftieth anniversary. North Bay has been the home base of JS Redpath since 1969. The company has grown from a regional supplier of mining contracting services, in its early years, to a global service provider with business units in North America, South America, Australia, South Africa and Europe, today.

The company has 6,000 employees world-wide working on projects in 18 different countries during 2012. Redpath employees celebrated their employer’s fiftieth anniversary not just in Ontario but at many locations around the world.

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