$500,000 federal funding to help promote northern mining at annual conference

The Invest Canada North initiative aims to attract investment in Canada's northern territories and create jobs for Indigenous and northern residents. — Photo courtesy Invest Canada North website

In an effort to promote Canada’s northern territories as attractive investment destinations and create jobs for Indigenous and northern residents, the federal government has announced a $500,000 funding grant.

Part of the Invest Canada North initiative, the Yukon Mining Alliance will use the funding to help showcase the opportunities in the North at the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference for the next three years. The Mining Alliance will establish a key presence at the conference including a media centre, an all-day forum with information on the North and a networking event. The conference takes place in March in Toronto and is the largest of its kind, attracting over 1,000 exhibitors and 25,000 attendees from around the world.

“Mining investors from New York or London may not know about the strong Indigenous corporations we have in the North and all the assets they have to bring to projects,” said Yukon MP Larry Bagnell, “They may not know about the strong mining organizations we have.”

“They may not know about how open and welcoming the territorial premiers are. . . and their governments are to mining,” he continued, “They may not know about the millions of acres of undeveloped mining potential they could invest in.”

“Yukon has an awful lot to offer investors,” said Yukon Premier Sandy Silver, adding that his territory is a top-tier mining destination with rich geological potential.

“We are a geopolitically safe jurisdiction and our governments take pride in our work to forge strong, mutually respective partnerships with Yukon First Nations for the benefit of all Yukoners.

Caroline Cochrane, Northwest Territories Premier, adds the North is filled with minerals that “fuel the global green economy” such as lithium and cobalt which are used in rechargeable batteries.