10th Anniversary of National Mining Week
May 8-14, 2006

Canada’s Mining Industry: Contributing to Economic Development at Home and Abroad

The mining industry plays an important role in the lives of many Canadians across our country. This is why we celebrate National Mining Week every year during the second week of May. This year marks the 10th anniversary of National Mining Week at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), which highlights a different component of mining each year.

This year’s theme, Canada’s Mining Industry: Contributing to Economic Development at Home and Abroad, is an important one for all of us to recognize. Specifically, Canada’s mining industry contributes to the Canadian economy and to the economies of developing countries, making Canada an important part of the international mining market.

Mining is one of the Canadian economy’s key engines of growth. Increasing international demand is creating a huge need for our commodities. In 2005 the total value of exports from Canada’s mining and mineral processing industries increased by 13.8 per cent to $64.3 billion from $56.5 billion in 2004.

Mining has some unique and positive characteristics. Mining operations take place in almost every province and territory, and have further-reaching impacts on employment and communities than other natural resource industries. The positive effects of mining — the jobs, the training and skills development, the new business opportunities and the community improvements — are felt in every corner of Canada.

The positive effects of Canada’s mining industry do not, however, stop at the borders. Our mining industry creates opportunities for the people and communities touched by its activities. It also plays an important role in communities abroad, both urban and remote, contributing to the economies of developing nations.

Canadian mining companies operate in more than 100 countries, providing expertise, technology, training, jobs, roads, schools and hospitals. They create futures for people and communities who too often have been left behind when resource development takes place.

Every day, we use products derived from the mineral resources of the earth. From televisions and telephones to trains, cars and many of the construction materials in our homes, it's hard to imagine life without the products that come from our mineral wealth.

The Canadian mining industry is vital to our quality of life and is worth celebrating. This year Canadians can take time to remember that the mining industry makes a difference to the economies of developing nations as well as our own.

Last Updated: 2006-11-01

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