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Recognizing the importance of the mineral industry cluster to the Ontario economy, the Government of Ontario announced the formation of the Ontario Mineral Industry Cluster Council (OMICC) on November 13, 2003 and appointed the members of the OMICC on February 26, 2004.
The Council Members come from the mineral industry, educational and vocational institutions, labour, Aboriginal organizations, environmental groups, mining equipment suppliers and municipal, provincial and federal governments. The creation of the Council represents both the Government of Ontario's commitment to unleash Ontario's mineral potential and the mineral industry's demonstrated readiness to "step up" to the challenge of transforming the cluster into a highly knowledge-driven, prosperous and globally competitive cluster.
The emergence of the Ontario Mineral Industry Cluster Council was as a result of a key finding from the research and analysis conducted by the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) that a collaborative body, such as a council or steering committee, could play a pivotal role in strengthening the cluster. As a follow-up to the research and analysis, MNDM held discussions with a wide-range of stakeholders and partners from across Ontario to gauge their support for a mineral industry cluster strategy. From the Chief Administrative Officer for the Municipality of Greenstone to the Chief Executive Officer of Placer Dome, the stakeholders gave their unanimous support to move forward with a cluster strategy for Ontario's mineral industry and convene an Ontario Mining Cluster Forum.
Encouraged by the stakeholders' overwhelming support for the development of a long-term cluster strategy, MNDM convened the Ontario Mining Cluster Forum in February, 2003. The 90-plus participants included members of major mineral industry companies, junior mineral industry developers, financiers, mineral equipment suppliers, trade unions, consultants, academics, researchers, the federal government, the provincial government and mining municipalities. The forum proved to be a catalyst for a moving-forward agenda and many participants said that the time had come to promote mining as the economic giant it truly is: a $10B Cdn industry in Ontario.
In the new economy, where partnerships, alliances, synergies, collaboration and social capital are the currencies for success, the Council is well positioned to create new opportunities afforded by a cluster approach, which benefits the communities of the north and the province as a whole.
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