Government Affairs

PDAC advocates for governments at the federal, provincial and territorial levels to support a competitive and responsible Canadian mineral industry where companies are able to effectively explore for, discover and develop the mineral and metal deposits that our modern society depends on. These efforts are focused on ensuring that Canada’s mineral exploration and development industry has the tools required to enhance its position as the global destination for mineral investment, remain a key employer in communities across the country, and provide the raw materials that power Canada’s economy.

PDAC’s ongoing advocacy focuses on several key areas that are critical to Canada’s mineral sector, including:

Helpful Resources

Access to Prospective Lands Ensuring that industry has access to prospective lands and that the value of mineral potential is factored into land management and potential land withdrawal decisions by undertaking comprehensive mineral resource assessments, based on geoscientific studies.	Northern Development and Infrastructure Supporting mineral industry competitiveness in Canada’s northern and remote regions by addressing the infrastructure deficit through strategic, large-scale investments in critical transportation and energy infrastructure and by ensuring that any new carbon price regime is revenue neutral, protects emissions intensive and trade-exposed (EITE) sectors, and addresses the unique challenges faced by remote and northern regions.	Geoscience and Innovation Securing long-term government investment in public geoscience data collection and dissemination that helps drive mineral exploration, and the development of funding mechanisms or fiscal incentives to encourage the development, testing and adoption of innovative technologies and processes specifically for the mineral exploration industry.
Indigenous Affairs Supporting industry’s efforts to facilitate the full participation of Indigenous Peoples in the mineral industry, government investments that contribute to improved socioeconomic outcomes for Indigenous communities and advocating for improvement to the Crown’s implementation of its constitutional duty to consult and accommodate Indigenous Peoples.	Regulatory Regimes Ensuring that existing and future regulatory regimes are credible, efficient, predictable, coordinated and balanced in order to reduce uncertainty, delays and costs that undermine Canada’s investment climate.	Responsible Exploration Supporting companies in their ongoing efforts to enhance environmental, social and health & safety performance by the mineral industry, both nationally and internationally, as well as supporting industry’s initiatives to address barriers to diversity and inclusion in the industry.
Mineral Sector’s Essential Role in Enabling a Low Carbon Future Establishing fiscal incentives to increase the exploration for the minerals and metals that are crucial to a low carbon future to position Canada as the global supplier of choice for these.	Access to Capital Catalyzing investment and support capital flows into mineral exploration in Canada by maintaining, adopting and enhancing fiscal incentives for early-stage exploration, such as tax credits, exploration incentives, prospector assistance programs and venture capital funds.	Access to Skills Ensuring that policy, programs and incentives are established to connect the next generation of students to education and skills development programs necessary to find success in Canada’s mineral exploration and development industry.

Two significant opportunities for this advocacy include the annual federal budget, and annual Energy and Mines Ministers Conference. You can learn more about these below.

Steve Shapka
Analyst, Government Relations

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Government Affairs

Access to Prospective Lands

Northern Development and Infrastructure

Geoscience and Innovation

Indigenous Affairs

Regulatory Regimes

Responsible Exploration

Mineral Sector’s Essential Role in Enabling a Low Carbon Future

Access to Capital

Access to Skills

Federal Budget

International Mine Ministers' Summit

REGULATORY AFFAIRS