Bigger: PDAC flush with optimism for Sudbury's mining sector

By Brian Bigger

I would like to provide an update to the community on my very productive and successful trip to Toronto for the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Conference (PDAC) at the beginning of this month.

PDAC, as always, is an opportunity for companies working in all aspects of mining to come together and showcase what they have been working on to government representatives, stakeholders and investors.

This year in particular showed great signs of enthusiasm in the industry, and once again Greater Sudbury’s presence was very prominent in the mining world. In fact, more than 80 companies and organizations from Greater Sudbury were on display and about 750 Sudburians were in attendance. Representatives from around the world were among the 25,000 attendees throughout the event.

It’s tremendous to see how enthusiastic our local firms are about the future, and I was pleased to hear that some of them are planning expansions in the near future. As was reported in the news earlier this month, Glencore, Vale, KGHM, and IamGold are soon to be spending billions of dollars on nearby mine development and operations, through which many Greater Sudbury businesses will benefit. It’s the kind of upswing in the industry that I truly believe is being felt by many, and businesses are excited, which is always a great thing to see.

There’s certainly no doubt in my mind that Greater Sudbury is a world leader in mining and what was on display at PDAC just reinforces that fact. It was wonderful to host the Sudbury Mining Cluster Reception and feel that excitement and confidence in the room. We will continue to build on this energy as we move forward. Close to 400 guests attended the reception, which provided a unique networking opportunity between mining companies, local suppliers and mining sector stakeholders. I would like to thank city staff for their hard work in fostering the Greater Sudbury connection throughout PDAC.

At the conference, I was also able to meet with 40 Canadian Trade Commissioners alongside Vic Pakalnis, the president and CEO of MIRARCO, and staff from economic development. It was a unique opportunity to reinforce a fact well known in the industry — Greater Sudbury is the place to invest when it comes to mining. We have the expertise, knowhow and the resources to deliver results in the mining sector. The presentation was well received, and I was approached by a number of trade commissioners who are planning visits to Greater Sudbury in the near future to look for opportunities for global trade. 

While at PDAC, I also had the opportunity to connect with the Finnish Ambassador to Canada, Vesa Lehtonen, Finland’s minister of employment, the head of Mining Finland, and their local mining cluster to help market our local companies abroad and form new partnerships moving forward. 

One thing that certainly resonated at the conference was strong support for the development of the Ring of Fire in our community. With the amount of innovations taking place in mining, the sophistication of the equipment available, and the knowledge that exists in our Greater Sudbury mining cluster, those in attendance made it clear how anxious they are to see the infrastructure in place as they know the opportunities that await for both investment and job creation. It would continue to sustain our economy and our mining service and supply sector and continue to solidify our place as the hub of Northern Ontario.

As I’ve said in the past, I understand that some have concerns about our city’s bid for a ferrochrome processing facility, but I’d like to assure the public that this is very early in the process, as a community has not been chosen by Noront Resources.

I truly believe this is a great opportunity for Greater Sudbury, however, the detailed questions that some residents have will be addressed as the process unfolds. I know some are speaking about community consultations, and I would like to assure all of you they will happen should Greater Sudbury be selected as the preferred community. 

Through discussions with Noront Resources and the provincial government, a five- to seven-year process would need to be undertaken by the company and the province of Ontario for all of the necessary permits and environmental assessments.

Consultation is a part of this process and would include the necessary plans and studies to be associated with any proposal. In Canada, we have very stringent rules and regulations should a mine or smelter open. Any government in Canada, including ours, would never let any resident come in harm’s way and that’s why this process is in place.

I would like to see more jobs in our community, in a safe and environmentally sustainable way, just like all of you. We will continue to request the necessary data, studies and information as the process unfolds if we are successful. Anyone with questions or concerns will be able to voice these through the process.

With that, I just want to thank all of the local businesses, organizations, institutions, and investors who attended PDAC and demonstrated beyond a doubt that we are Canada’s Resourceful City and we have a lot to be proud of and a lot to be excited about for the future of the Greater Sudbury Mining Cluster. 

Brian Bigger is the mayor of the City of Greater Sudbury