Ford government wants to adjust mining rights in Ontario

Toronto - In an effort to find ways to speed up the extraction of natural resources in Ontario, the Ford government is proposing changes to the way prospectors obtain mining rights to land.

The draft regulatory changes, released last week by the province's Ministry of Mines, would adjust certain requirements and timelines that mining claim holders must meet before the government confirms their claims.

Just a year ago, the Ontario government had accepted public recommendations on "improving the assessment work system for mineral exploration in Ontario." The ministry led by Mines Minister George Pirie posted a notice on the province's Environmental Registry last week, formally proposing a series of reforms.

Sam McCormick, communications director for Pirie's ministry, wrote in an email last week that the proposals "would not add burden, but rather seek to expand the availability of public geoscience data already collected by (mining) rights holders, clarify reporting requirements, and minimize redundant processes associated with current requirements."

McCormick added: "Building Ontario's geoscience database helps prospectors find future mineral resources within the province. It also helps encourage mining rights holders to actively carry out exploration activities to keep their mining rights in good standing."

The proposed changes would not affect the online mining claim system.

Ontario's former Liberal government created the online mining claim system months before being defeated by Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives in 2018. Using the system, people can obtain prospector licenses and register exclusive mining rights to unclaimed land (including public or private property and territories of Indigenous communities) through a few simple and inexpensive processes.

Many First Nations and Indigenous leaders have argued in public statements and court challenges that the online mining claim system facilitates violations of their rights.

After registering a mining claim, prospectors must meet provincial requirements (which the ministry's new proposals would adjust) to confirm their right to carry out mining activities on that land.

In the information posted on the Environmental Registry, the Ministry of Mines stated that it expects the environmental impact of its proposed mining claim changes "should be neutral." The ministry will accept public feedback on its proposals through online posting, with a deadline of February 15.

Over the past two weeks, the Ford government has also issued several other mining-focused announcements.

On January 13, Ford proposed accelerating projects to access Ontario's Ring of Fire as a step to strengthen economic ties with the United States. The Ring of Fire in northern Ontario is believed to contain significant deposits of high-grade nickel crucial to electric vehicle production. On Monday, this news brought good news for that possibility, as the federal government reached what was called a "milestone" agreement with 15 Indigenous groups on the Ring of Fire regional impact assessment.

A week earlier, in another announcement, Ontario's Ministry of Mines said the province would spend $7 million on 17 projects "to accelerate the research, development, and commercialization of innovative technologies" to help the province meet global critical mineral demand.

Source: https://www.snnewswatch.com/local-news/ford-government-looks-to-tweak-mining-claims-in-ontario-10133194?utm_source=tbnewswatch.com&utm_campaign=tbnewswatch.com%3A%20outbound&utm_medium=referral