OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Federal Government - 6

2. Invest in Ontario's Mining Industry to ensure proper clean-up of Ontario's orphaned and abandoned sites.
Mining is one of the economic backbones of the Canadian economy and is especially important to Northern Ontario. The materials and
products delivered help Canadians stay safe, meet basic needs, and sustain northern communities. This industry produces around $10
billion in revenues for Ontario and Canada per year and employs over 75,000 Ontarians. Mining is also the largest private sector
employer of Indigenous Ontarians.
Ontario is responsible for one-third of Canada's total mined metal production. It is the largest producer of gold, platinum group metals
and nickel, and the second largest producer of copper in the country. The province is also a major producer of salt and structural
materials. Mining produces key metals for the development of high-tech products and batteries, as well as medical devices, including
ventilators and diagnostic COVID-19 test kits.
Despite its tremendous benefits to the province and country, investment in this sector has lagged, causing serious concerns with existing
legacy issues, that require attention immediately. To keep turning Canada's natural resource potential into jobs and sustainable wealth,
it is essential to invest in activities that keep the mining cycle robust. These include but are not limited to encouraging more sustainable
exploration, conducting appropriate project feasibility studies, design work, environmental and impact assessment studies, and ensuring
mines are closed properly.
Unfortunately, the lack of proper closure of historical mines in Ontario has been a problem for decades. Ontario currently has over 5,000
known abandoned mines, containing over 15,000 hazards. These abandoned sites are an enormous environmental concern and pose
health and safety risks to the surrounding communities.
It was only in 1991, under the Mining Act, that legislation established that all mining companies must prepare and submit for approval
a Mine Closure Plan certified by a qualified professional engineer that the plan adheres to government's standards and is backed by a
financial assurance bond. Therefore, there are thousands of abandoned sites that were closed prior to 1991 that have no current
ownership. This means that the government, and ultimately the taxpayer is on the hook for cleaning up these sites. For example, Ontario
has spent about $75 million to date to clean up the former Kam Kotia Mine near Timmins. As we strive towards a robust economy
post-COVID-19, it should be noted that these costs will continue to increase for all governments, if these legacy issues are not dealt with
appropriately and in a timely manner.
The Government of Canada should work with provincial and territorial governments to ensure that the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
(CMMP) achieves all its goals under each of its six strategic directions.

a) Direct funding should support the re-imagination of the National Orphaned or Abandoned Mines Initiative (NOAMI)

i. NOAMI should develop a long-term plan that outlines key steps for the remediation of orphaned and

abandoned mine sites.

ii. Federal funding to Ontario should mirror the type of funding that the government has already destined to help clean up

orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia ($1.7 billion)

OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Federal Government

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