New Brunswick flies the flag of mining friendliness

The Fraser Institute's annual rankings of the world's most attractive places for miners to dig in puts New Brunswick at the very top.

The Vancouver think tank's annual survey of companies judged the Maritime province as a “superstar” among 93 ranked countries and provinces. The province placed 23rd in last year's poll.

“New Brunswick shot to the top of the rankings as miners lauded the province for its fair, transparent, and efficient legal system and consistency in the enforcement and interpretation of existing environmental regulations,” said Fred McMahon, the Fraser's vice-president of international policy research.

Quebec, the survey leader between 2007 and 2010, fell a notch from fourth to fifth. Last year's pennant winner, Alberta, fell to third.

McMahon said miners like New Brunswick and Alberta because mining policy is clear and the government is resource-friendly.

New Brunswick also presents a competitive tax regime and minimal uncertainty around disputed land claims.

Quebec's reputation has “floundered” due to uncertainty around increases in royalties and proposed changes to that province's mining laws.

The top 10 jurisdictions are: New Brunswick, Finland, Alberta, Wyoming, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Sweden, Nevada, Ireland and the Yukon.

Ontario finished in 13th spot.

Last fall, the Fraser Institute approached 5,000 global exploration, development and mining-related companies and received responses from 802.

In assessing Ontario, a vice-president of a mining company commented: “it is possible to work with the First Nations and when local politicians are made aware of the economic value of a project, they will help where possible and make sure the project has visibility at high government levels, consistent with existing policy and regulation.”

The president of an exploration company said the “handling of Native land claims in Ontario is very poor, leaving the company to negotiate with Native bands – Ontario should lead the way in these negotiations, similar to the (government) in Sweden, where the government makes a one-time cash payment to Sami (Sweden's Arctic indigenous people) for mine disruption.”