Mario ToneguzziSaskatchewan is the world’s second most attractive jurisdiction for mining investment after Finland, according to the latest Annual Survey of Mining Companies released on Thursday by the Fraser Institute.

Alberta placed 49th internationally and in the Canadian rankings, the province was 11th of all jurisdictions, with only Nova Scotia worse.

“Rich mineral reserves, competitive taxes, efficient permitting procedures and certainty around environmental regulations will still attract significant investment – even with slumping commodity prices,” said Kenneth Green, senior director of the Fraser Institute’s energy and natural resource studies.

The report said British Columbia (20th in the world) and Alberta both continue to receive low marks from investors for regulatory uncertainty and concerns regarding disputed land claims.

Canada – based on the combined rankings of all provinces and territories – is the world’s most attractive region for investment, beating out Australia for the top spot.

“Capital is fluid and one province’s loss can be another province’s gain because mining investors will flock to jurisdictions that have attractive policies,” said Green. “Sound regulatory regimes are an absolute must for policy-makers who want to attract increasingly precious commodity investments.”

The report can be found at https://goo.gl/u2XneJ

Mario Toneguzzi is a veteran Calgary-based journalist who worked for 35 years for the Calgary Herald in various capacities, including 12 years as a senior business writer.


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