As Canada’s mining sector shows signs of slipping, companies and innovation leaders are calling for more dedicated federal funding and the development of a national strategy that would link regional clusters. Steering the sector to growth will require increased reliance on innovation and commitment to sustainable practices.
409,000 - Number of workers directly employed in mineral extraction, smelting, fabrication and manufacturing
No. 1 - The largest private-sector employer of Indigenous peoples, providing over 16,500 jobs
$69.5 billion - Amount contributed to Canada’s real GDP in 2018 (a 19% increase year-over-year)
$9.4 billion - Amount invested in mine complex development in Canada in 2018
20% - Percent of the overall value of Canadian goods exported in 2018 ($104.5 billion)
34% - Percent of the world’s total mining equity capital in 2018 ($6.5 billion raised)
$271.8 billion - Combined market value of Canada’s mining firms listed on the TSX
Top 5 - Canada’s rank among countries in the global production of 15 minerals and metals, including No. 1 in potash, gemstones and titanium concentrate
Vancouver: The world’s leading cluster of mining exploration companies, with 700 firms
Toronto: The global centre for mining finance — the Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange are the world’s No.1 mining and exploration listing venues
Montreal: Home to major aluminum and iron ore firms
Edmonton: The centre for oil sands mining expertise
Saskatoon: A centre of expertise in mining uranium and potash.
The projected global growth for metals needed for battery production by 2028 is massive, including:
Canada has 14 of the 19 metals and minerals needed to make a solar PV panel.
Canada’s mining industry will need to hire 79,680 new workers over the next decade.
Women accounted for only 15% of mining’s labour force in 2018, down 2% from 2011.
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