The woman who heads up the Ontario Mining Association (OMA) said mining in Ontario needs to be recognized as a responsible industry that is environmentally sound and safer than ever for its thousands of workers.
Priya Tandon, president of the OMA, was a guest speaker at the BEV-In-Depth conference in Sudbury on Thursday.
The conference is held each year to promote the greater use of electric vehicles in mining as well as to promote the critical minerals supply chain to benefit the use of more battery electric vehicles.
Tandon said Ontario is at a crucial time where mining needs to be recognized as one of the key strategic industries that drives Ontario's economy.
She said this is especially true because of global competition from countries such as China and Indonesia that have strong government backing to produce critical minerals.
"To keep Ontario a top mining jurisdiction, we need efficient regulations and permitting and policies that will maintain a strong investment climate that takes urgent teamwork across all levels of government,” Tandon said. “All ministries need to be seized with mining projects as a strategic priority, working together to make permitting more efficient."
She also spoke in favour of Ontario Bill 5, which is also called the Protect Ontario By Unleashing Our Economy Act. The government has said the bill will streamline the mining process by amending other provincial laws or suspending procedures "if doing so is desirable for the protection of the strategic national mineral supply chain."
The government said Bill 5 would also create "special economic zones" that could exempt other laws such as environmental and conservation laws, and even municipal bylaws, that might slow down the permitting and approval process for new mines.
Critics are arguing the bill is too far reaching and takes away established protocols Ontario needs to guarantee environmental stability for the mining industry.
Tandon said the bill will be good for the industry and the province.
"As enabling legislation, the current Bill 5 in its proposed 'one-project, one-process', approach represents a positive step forward. Its success will depend on adequate resourcing and careful, thoughtful implementation," said Tandon.
She said the bill would also increase employment in mining for Indigenous people across Northern Ontario, which is currently at 12 per cent, currently four times better than any other industry in Ontario.
Tandon said employment remains a challenge as more than 20 per cent of the Ontario mining workforce is now older than 55 years.
Tandon also said she is encouraged that, as the mining sector is becoming cleaner and greener, it is something younger people can readily identify with.
"A big part of the appeal of mining to young people is how it aligns with their values providing solutions to climate change by helping drive the clean energy transition," said Tandon.
"They also relish the prospect of being active participants in transforming industry, including through electrification of our fleets and processes."
After her speech, Tandon commented that she is aware of the public backlash to Bill 5, but she said it is not the intention of the government to strip away obvious environmental protection. She said she is counting on education and awareness to help the issue.
"I think there's always room for more public education and awareness, right? I think that's what will help folks understand the modernized mining industry that exists in Ontario today," she said.
"The mining industry is not asking to strip any environmental regulations or any need to consult Indigenous communities. It's really about just making the system work better, and have ministries co-ordinate and talk to each other more so that reduces some of the delays and the confusion in the system," said Tandon.
"You know, the mining sector in Ontario has a few pillars, and the top of it is environmental sustainability and safety as core values. And there's maintaining and improving relationships with indigenous partners. So I kind of look at it in those three ways. And I think there's always room for more education."
Len Gillis covers mining stories for Sudbury.com along with health care news.
