Eliminating unnecessary mining regulations is the focus of the Ontario government’s Red Tape Challenge.
Beginning March 31 and running through to May 31, the province wants input – through an online platform – from those who work in the industry, from Indigenous communities, and from the general public on how to get activity going.
“The initiative has already identified many great ideas to streamline regulations in the auto parts, food processing, and financial services sectors,” said a March 31 Ministry of Northern Development and Mines news release.
“Future Red Tape Challenge consultations will focus on chemical manufacturing, forestry and tourism sectors but, up next is mining – a sector that produced more than $10 billion in 2016 — the most of any Canadian jurisdiction, creating more than 26,000 direct jobs.”
The Red Tape website contains descriptions of the regulations that currently affect the mining sector, all 175 of them.
Feedback is wanted on any that are “unclear, redundant and unnecessarily costly.”
The government said a final report on findings from this consultation will be out Nov. 30.
In the 2015 Mineral Development Strategy, the ministry vowed it was determined to make regulatory efficiency a priority.
The ministry is also in the process of making more changes to the Mining Act, after extensive consultation with the industry, to improve on how mining claims are registered.
