Communities

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We envision …

  • Optimal social and economic benefits for communities
  • A more diverse workforce that meets the needs of a modern mining industry
  • Canadians have a greater appreciation of the benefits of Canadian mining

Resulting in …

Communities welcome sustainable mineral development activities for the benefits they deliver

What is the goal of this strategic direction?

  • Dispel commonly held myths about mining as a career or in general
  • Attract more women, youth, Indigenous Peoples and visible minorities to careers in mining
  • Boost mineral literacy levels and highlight the importance of minerals and metals to low-carbon technologies, national security, agriculture and more.
  • Communicate the potential of mineral development activities to strengthen socio-economic outcomes for communities and regions

Advancing the participation of Indigenous Peoples

How will we reach this goal?  

  • Support the diversification of Canada’s mining workforce by 2030
  • Develop and deliver education-based initiatives to help attract and retain highly qualified personnel and develop the pipeline of future talent by 2025
  • Develop a checklist for industry to support increased local procurement in the minerals and metals industry

What are the pan-Canadian initiatives?

  • The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan’s (CMMP) pan-Canadian Mineral Literacy Hub is a centralized point of access for new and existing resources on Canada’s mining sector and facilitates knowledge sharing across jurisdictions; publicizes traditional Indigenous knowledge; and links to academic and professional programs that lead to careers in mining.
  • The Hub will host the Canadians of Mining campaign, which will present portraits and personal testimonies of individuals in the mining industry across the country. The campaign will highlight the diversity of careers available and encourage more women, Indigenous Peoples and visible minorities to join the mining workforce.
  • In addition to the Mineral Literacy Hub, the CMMP has engaged with students in various ways that have exposed diverse groups to mining and demonstrated the high-tech careers within industry by:
    • Hosting two hackathons with university students from varying educational backgrounds that required students to tackle modern mining challenges. The unique perspectives provided by participants informed actions under the Communities Strategic Direction of the CMMP.
    •  Partnering with the Ryerson University Science Discovery zone to lead a mini-innovation challenge with students. For three semesters, Natural Resources Canada presented students with a challenge related to the Canadian mining industry. Students then collaborated on a final presentation that laid out their innovative approaches to solving modern mining challenges.
    • Providing information on the CMMP and career paths in mining at Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) virtual career fairs.

Areas for action

Mineral literacy:Improving mineral literacy means increasing knowledge and understanding of the minerals and metals sector among Canadians to shine a light on Canada’s sustainable, high-tech industry, build community support for projects, and showcase mining as an excellent career choice.

Community readiness: Federal, provincial and territorial governments, along with industry, should take action to build capacity and support community readiness so that communities can fully participate in mining projects.

Human resources: The mining industry is facing a diversity challenge. Federal, provincial and territorial governments, partners and stakeholders must address structural and systemic human resources challenges.

Key actions and resources

To address structural human resources challenges and increase the diversity of the mining labour force:

To highlight Canada’s sustainable, high-technology minerals industry, build community support for sustainable projects and showcase mining as an excellent career choice:

  • Resources and Energy Development Information program (N.W.T.)
  • Prospector training courses (Nvt., N.B., N.L.)
  • Hackathons on mining issues in partnership with MiHR and stakeholders to engage post-secondary students (Can.)
  • Educational campaigns including Minerals of Mining, infographics with Visual Capitalist, expert interviews with TheFutureEconomy.ca and workshops for youth and teachers in remote communities with Mining Matters (Can.)
  • Study on community perceptions of mining-related activities in Canada (Can.)
  • Science North and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum’s Our Earth’s Riches exhibit to showcase a high-tech industry and its contribution to society (Assoc.)
  • The Mining Association of Canada’s Facts and Figures, 30 Things, and other publications to build mineral literacy (Assoc.)

To incorporate planning and engagement with communities at the earliest stages of project development:

  • Ministry guidelines on social acceptability (Que.)

Action Plan Annexes

Explore the other strategic directions