Saskatchewan continues to hold its dominant position as a place the mining industry finds attractive.
The Fraser Institute does an annual survey of mining companies to determine where they like to put their investment money. The latest report has Saskatchewan ranked as number one in Canada and third in the world as a place to invest. Last year we were second on the global measure and first within Canada.
They also asked mining executives about the mineral potential of roughly 100 places in the world. In other words, even if there is a business-friendly investment climate, does the jurisdiction hold the promise of successfully finding mineral deposits. On this one, Saskatchewan stands second globally – a reminder that public policy makes a difference.
For many years mining companies ignored the province over fears triggered by the potash takeovers of the 70s and heavy-handed back-in provisions. Even though they believe they could successfully find ore bodies in Saskatchewan, they stayed away and it took decades for policymakers to convince them we could be trusted.
