The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Siobhan Coady, Minister of Natural Resources:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this Honourable House to talk about Newfoundland and Labrador’s participation at the Prospectors and Development Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto this week. I had the great privilege of attending and highlighting the province’s resource potential.

It was an exciting time at PDAC with more than 25,600 participants representing 135 countries.

Mr. Speaker, I met with more than a dozen exploration and mining companies as well as international leaders interested in learning more about opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador’s mining industry.

I also joined the federal Minister of Natural Resources and my provincial and territorial colleagues to launch the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan – a plan to ensure that our country is the leading, globally competitive mining nation.

The Canadian plan aligns well with our plan – Mining the Future 2030: A Plan for Growth in the Newfoundland and Labrador Mining Industry – released last November. Mining the Future 2030 will grow the Newfoundland and Labrador mining industry, and in the process, create jobs throughout the province in collaboration with Indigenous governments, industry and community stakeholders.

Mining is a major contributor to the Newfoundland and Labrador economy. In 2019, the mining sector is forecasted to employ a total of 6,300 people – an 11 per cent increase from 2018. Also, the gross value of mineral shipments in Newfoundland and Labrador is forecasted at $4 billion for 2019, a 47 per cent increase since 2016.

Mr. Speaker, a world of possibilities is at our doorstep because our geology positions Newfoundland and Labrador to be a global supplier of minerals. Through our mining sector, we will continue to raise our profile globally and continue to create new opportunities for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Thank you.