Projects in the Pipeline conference showcases mining leaders in northeastern Ontario

The annual Project in the Pipeline conference in Timmins is one of the key events held during the Canadian Mining Expo.

The day-long session Thursday brought together mining executives, junior mining companies and investors to learn about all of their plans for the next five years.

Leaders from 10 mining companies and Ontario’s Minister of Mines George Pirie were on the agenda.

One company in particular, Agnico Eagle — Canada’s largest gold producer with its Detour Lake Mine — said it’s important to share information with the public about what it has in store for the future.

“We're growing our production in Ontario right now; we're looking at combined between Macassa (in Kirkland Lake) and Detour to be at around over a million ounces…probably 1.5, 1.6 million ounces,” said Leite.

“So a significant growth in the economic investment in the region, employment generation of revenues and tax here in northern Ontario, which has been very important to us,” said Andre Leite, vice-president, Ontario for Agnico Eagle.

Projects in the Pipeline also gave junior mining companies a chance to educate investors about what they are doing, such as STLLR Gold Inc.

“Nighthawk Gold and Moneta Gold have joined together,” said Glenn Dredhart, president of Canadian Trade-Ex, the company that organizes the Canadian Mining Expo.

“They're making a larger group with larger landmass and more gold production. This is just one example of what's taking place. A lot of juniors are joining forces. They're joining with producing mines, not with other juniors as well, but also with producing mines and, you know, without deep pockets, you just can't bring a mine to fruition.”

Ontario’s mining sector also can’t expand at the pace it wants without government support. Since taking office, Pirie said new policies and investments are growing the industry.

“This is the place that the investor should be investing for all the right reasons,” he said.

“We've got the talent, we've got the geological endowment, we've got the mineral management … we've got the service industries as well,” said Pirie.

“And we also have the revenue sharing agreements with the Indigenous people.”

Leite called Pirie a “champion” for understanding that northern Ontario must remain competitive with mines outside of Canada.

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