Much attention in recent weeks has focused on a trade war with the United States and while Canadians are collectively holding their breath from Beaver Creek to Bonavista, the looming situation has exposed our country’s and our territory’s vulnerabilities related to an over-reliance on specific markets.
Including within our territory’s critical minerals space.
We have seen the swell of ‘Buy Canadian’ support, which is of course welcome, however this sentiment must expand to include Canadian mineral development as is being championed by the Premiers of B.C. and the N.W.T. - and more recently - by the Yukon’s Premier as part of his February 12 trip to Washington, DC.
We – along with the entire world – rely on metals and minerals each and every day; from the tungsten that makes our cell phones vibrate to the copper conducting hydro and wind energy to our homes and our businesses.
These same minerals, to our great fortune, are found in abundance in the Yukon; specifically, 27 of the 34 critical minerals officially recognized by the federal government. As the global demand for these minerals continues to grow, the world will need more mining, not less.
As clearly articulated by a senior Yukon mining executive during this January’s AME Roundup exploration and mining conference, which attracts thousands of industry professionals, investors and governments each year, “our mining industry is unique . . . everything in this world that humans need is either grown or mined. Our society simply can’t function without mining and the wonderful service industry that supports it. We are quite simply, a critical industry.”
It is therefore incumbent upon us as Yukoners to provide an ethical source for these everyday needs so they do not originate from regions of the world which do not prioritize the environment, health and safety standards or Indigenous rights.
For example, in 2015, it took 90 days for a full and thorough assessment of a Class 3 exploration permit of the permit issuance; a process, that with fingers crossed, now takes nine months. The thoroughness of the assessment has not changed, so why has the time it takes to do the assessment tripled? And if environmental outcomes have not improved with this new extended timeline, how can it be argued that increasing timelines for the same result is somehow in the public interest?
So, while the whims and winds of geo-politics are continually shifting, it is important to prioritize the things within our power to change here at home in the territory. This includes ensuring Yukon exploration and mining have a clear, consistent and competitive regulatory regime to operate responsibly within, so that our industry members’ contributions to all Yukoners’ lives and livelihoods can continue.
If Yukoners do our part, we can be less reliant on any given trading partner, while providing ethically-sourced raw materials for the technologies that make life possible today – and for the future. Before it’s yours, it’s mined.
Sincerely,
Jonas J. Smith
Executive Director
Yukon Chamber of Mines
