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Media CentrePress Releases2009From the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines
Ontario takes historic step with reformed mining legislationTORONTO, April 30, 2009: The Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI) applauds the introduction today of the proposed Mining Act by the Ontario government. Once passed, this will enact the first major reforms to mining legislation in Ontario in more than 100 years. The new legislation addresses today’s imperatives to consult and accommodate Aboriginal communities, ensure environmental stewardship, and to balance conservation and development objectives through proactive land use planning. "This is an important step towards reconciling long-standing conflicts between the interests of Aboriginal communities, conservationists and the mining sector. There is more work to be done to give full scope to these reforms, but this legislation signals a new way of doing business in which the rights and interests of Aboriginal peoples, private landowners and the expectations of the public will now be a fundamental part of determining where, when and how exploration and mining activities occur”, said Larry Innes, Executive Director of CBI. “It is significant that this legislation will require consultation and accommodation with affected Aboriginal communities at the early stages of exploration, and ultimately, will prohibit mining in areas where it does not conform to land use plans developed and approved by Aboriginal communities. This is a fundamental change that should avoid conflicts over unwanted developments while enabling responsible exploration and mining to continue to provide a strong economic basis for Northern communities. These are innovations that we hope will be adopted by other Canadian jurisdictions.”, concluded Innes. In July 2008, the Government of Ontario announced it would modernize mining legislation and advance First Nations-driven land use planning across the north. The province committed to developing an inter-connected system of conservation lands across more than 50% of Ontario’s Far North region while planning with local communities and industry to identify priority areas for resource development. The government also committed to resource revenue sharing with Aboriginal communities. Ontario’s North region covers over 40% of the province and is one of the largest intact ecosystems on Earth It is the homeland of many Aboriginal communities and contains a rich diversity of wildlife. Part of the world’s largest land-based storehouse of carbon, Ontario’s Boreal region stores an estimated 97B tonnes of carbon dioxide, most of it in peatlands and wetlands, and absorbs every year another 12.5M tonnes. The region's natural wealth sustains hundreds of Aboriginal communities and supports thousands of jobs.
The Canadian Boreal Initiative brings together diverse partners to create new solutions for Boreal conservation and sustainable development. It acts as a catalyst for on-the-ground efforts across the Boreal forest region by governments, industry, First Nations, conservation groups, major retailers, financial institutions and scientists. CBI is a project of the Pew Environment Group. CBI supports the Boreal Leadership Council of leading conservationists, First Nations, resource companies and financial institutions, who together endorse the Boreal Conservation Framework and its vision to protect at least half of Canada’s northern Boreal region with the remaining lands under world-class sustainable development, in a manner respecting and accommodating Aboriginal rights.
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