Alberta most attractive mining destination in Canada, third worldwide

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Alberta most attractive mining destination in Canada, third worldwide Posted: 03 Mar 2014 04:29 AM PST Oil sands development in Northern Alberta, Canada. For the second consecutive year, the Canadian province of Alberta —home to the booming and controversial oil sands industry— ranked first in the country and third worldwide as the most attractive jurisdiction for mining investors in the Fraser Institute's annual global survey of mining executives. The study, released Monday as the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention held in Toronto kicks off, is based on input from 690 mineral exploration and development company executives. Sweden and Finland scored the top places in this year's survey, which spotlighted 112 jurisdictions worldwide. Kyrgyzstan and Venezuela were named the worst two countries to venture. "Miners praise Alberta for its transparent and productive approach to mining policy. The province offers competitive taxation regimes, sound legal systems, and relatively low uncertainty around land claims. That's what miners look for," said Kenneth Green, Fraser Institute senior director of energy and natural resources. Other two Canadian jurisdictions—New Brunswick (7), and Newfoundland and Labrador (9)—ranked in the top 10 worldwide, followed by Saskatchewan (12), Yukon (19), Quebec (21), Manitoba (26), Ontario (28), Nova Scotia (29), British Columbia (32), Nunavut (44), and the Northwest Territories (47). Quebec, once the darling of mining investors, continued to fall down the rabbit hole. From 2007 to 2009, the French-speaking district topped the survey, then dropped to 5th in 2011, 11th in 2012 and finally 21st worldwide in 2013, due in part to amendments to Quebec's Mining Act and recent tax policy changes. "If Quebec wants to renew confidence in the global mining sector, it should reduce red tape, minimize the risk associated with policy changes and tax increases, and respect negotiated contracts," Green said. B.C. dropped to 32nd from 31st in 2012, though the survey recorded improved perceptions regarding the Western province's political stability and availability of labour and skills. The Canadian public policy think-tank also identified the 10 places mining enthusiasts should avoid. From the bottom, they are Kyrgyzstan, Venezuela, Philippines, Argentina (La Rioja and Mendoza), Angola, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Indonesia and Madagascar. Image by Christopher Kolaczan

200 arrested at anti-Keystone protests Posted: 02 Mar 2014 03:43 PM PST Hundreds of students were arrested in front of the White House this weekend as they protested the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, the Huffington Post reported. The protesters, mostly students, urged the Obama administration to not approve TransCanada's $5.4 billion pipeline, which would transport western Canada's oil sands crude to the US. The White House's decision is expected over the next few months. Earlier this month a study from the US State Department determined that Keystone XL is unlikely to significantly increase production at Alberta's oil sands and therefore would not be a major contributor to CO2 emissions. According to the Guardian, around 200 protesters strapped themselves to the White House's gates on Sunday and were arrested. "The action this morning began up at Georgetown University, where last summer President Obama pledged that he would only approve the Keystone XL pipeline if it didn't significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions," Jamie Henn wrote for the Huffington Post, adding that this will "likely be the largest act of youth civil disobedience at the White House in a generation." One activist Tweeted these images: Image featured on homepage from November 2011 by tarsandsaction

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