Ontario is providing $1.5 million to Science North and Dynamic Earth to show off the importance of the new technology and innovation of the mining industry.
The announcement was made Friday afternoon by Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. The event was held at the Dynamic Earth venue in Sudbury.
The funding is from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to support Science North in engaging audiences in new and memorable experiences highlighting Ontario’s innovative and modern mining sector. This investment will build a stronger Ontario by helping to create jobs, expand business operations, improve quality of life and grow the tourism industry in the region, said the minister.
Rickford made reference to last week's announcement that Ontario is setting itself up to respond to the global demand for critical minerals, especially in the automobile sector for creating electric vehicles (EVs). He said there is no need for the world to rely solely on Russia and China.
"And the announcement last week in Windsor reminded us all that the multibillion dollars of investments mean one thing; that Northern Ontario maybe for the first time ever will be fully integrated into a supply chain that will be exclusively within the borders of Ontario," said Rickford.
He said this is an exciting time for the North and the mining industry. He said having Science North engage more audiences to explain innovation and technology in the mining sector is part of the plan to grow the industry and highlight Ontario's ability to produce the right minerals.
"This is the opportunity we've been looking for," Rickford said.
"We can't rely on disinformation going out and filtering into our communities across the North. The world is now coming to us, even environmentalists and saying, Okay, what the heck is it that you guys do here, I just realized that my iPhone actually needs critical minerals," he added.
Rickford said the efforts by Science North and Dynamic Earth to showcase Ontario's mining technology will have an important impact in the future.
"The Go Deeper (Project), new experiences to engage Northern Ontario in modern mining and critical minerals will demonstrate the exciting world of mining today, and the future of mining tomorrow. It's going to showcase the incredible equipment, technology, innovation, and new opportunities in this rapidly changing dynamic industry," he said.
Rickford inserted a personal note adding that his eight-year-old daughter is taking part this week in a bluecoat science camp at Science North and learning important things
Acknowledging the war in Ukraine, Rickford said it was vital that the free world knows that mining technology and innovation is going in Canada.
"We have a responsibility ethically and morally to step up to the plate as a collective, as a region in Northern Ontario to offer up the world and showcase what we have. And so visitors will learn that Sudbury in Northern Ontario is the major hub for mining innovation; is the major hub for advanced technologies and critical minerals needed to revolutionize not just the mining sector but the entire world for a responsible and sustainable future," Rickford said.
Also, as part of the ceremonies held during Friday's announcement, Rickford had a chance to meet Spot, the robotic dog developed by Boston Dynamics to do mapping and survey work in remote parts of underground mines. More about Spot can be seen in this Northern Ontario Business report.
