Putting Mining In Its Place

Ontarians for a Just Accountable Mining Strategy (OJAMS) is made up of people from diverse communities and interests in Ontario that want to see a mineral strategy that

• Sustains the environment and the resources for future generations,
• Protects the public from the risks associated with mining, smelting and refining,
• Heals the damage already caused by the industry
• Captures a fair share of the revenues generated by the industry for Ontarians and First Nations, and
• Respects the rights of First Nations to free, prior, informed consent to development on their lands

Ontarians for a Just Accountable Mineral Strategy has sprung from our outrage that, despite more than ten years of broadly-based advocacy, despite reports from the Auditor-General and the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario supporting the need for change, the new proposals for a Mineral Development Strategy for Ontario are worse than they were in 2006.

Did you know that:

• Mining trumps all other kinds of development in the province?
• Mining pays less than 2% of its revenues in royalties and income taxes?
• Mining is a waste management industry that leaves behind over 99% of the rock it digs up in potentially toxic waste dumps that may have to be monitored forever?
• The public is an unsecured creditor for over 40% of the costs of remediating all the operating mine, smelter and refinery sites in Ontario – and that these potential costs are estimated by the industry? ojams-may2015-submission