Sub-activity 1.3.1

Mineral Investment

Description

Canada must compete for mineral investment because capital is mobile and flows to countries that offer attractive risk-adjusted returns for investors. Mineral exploration creates opportunities for Canadians and can lead to increasing investments and resource rents over the medium-term. To calibrate policies that affect mineral investment, governments need sector-specific information on mineral exploration and mine development activities. Tracking exploration activities is difficult because there are thousands of exploration companies and projects, with new companies being continually created while others become inactive. This program addresses this information gap by collecting socioeconomic data on mineral exploration, deposit appraisal and mine complex development expenditures, physical output from production facilities and the value of mineral production and trade.

Data is collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, the Resources and Technical Surveys Act and provincial statutes. Results inform policy development, analysis and advice to the Minister and are also used by Statistics Canada, provinces and territories. The program prepares tax rulings for provisions of the Income Tax Act administered by the Minister; provides expertise, analysis and support to other departments with lead responsibility for tax policy, investment policy and promotion and corporate social responsibility; and conducts outreach to global investors.