Mary-Claire Ward

Mary-Claire Ward, a director of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada and chairman of mining consulting firm Watts Griffis & McOuat, has died after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1945, Ward was a graduate of the city’s University College. She arrived in Canada in 1967 and got her first job with Kennco Explorations (Canada), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kennecott Copper. She later moved to Imperial Oil and, in 1981, joined Watts Griffis where she remained until her passing.

In her 24 years at Watts Griffis, Ward managed major valuations, developed guidelines for National Instrument 43-101, and performed due diligence reviews of exploration and development projects.

But it was her volunteer work for which she was best known. She began volunteering with the Geological Association of Canada (GAC) in 1978 and served as a councillor with the association, then as vice-president and president, retiring as past president in 1997.

That work led her to the PDAC in 1988, where she served as a director, a member, chair of the geoscience committee, and chair of the PDAC convention planning committee.

Ward was a staunch supporter of the PDAC. As a volunteer with the organization, she worked tirelessly to further the cause of geoscience.

Before the mid-1990s, Canada’s mines ministers knew little about mining and even less about geoscience. Ward, through the PDAC, led the charge to reverse this trend and began her crusade at the annual mines ministers conference. Each year since 1997, she made her case to the country’s mines ministers about how geoscience and geological mapping contributed to Canada’s economy.

“As a result of that effort, geoscience is now part of the ministers’ lexicon,” says Anthony Andrews, executive director of the PDAC. “They talk about geoscience quite normally now, and I think it’s a reflection of Mary-Claire’s persistence.”

Adds Andrews: “She was one those directors that any non-profit organization like ours really wishes for. Mary-Claire, even if she was really busy, would give you the time.” The PDAC presented Ward with a special achievement award at the 2004 convention in March.

She was also on the board of the Canadian Association of Mineral Evaluators and was a co-founder of the Women in Mining Network.

Ward is survived by her husband, Sandy, children David and Robin, and granddaughter, Morgan Isabelle.

A private funeral service was held April 22. A memorial service will be held on April 30 at 5 p.m. at the Ontario Club in Toronto. Sympathy cards can be sent to Sandford Ward, 39 Jarvis Street, Suite 411, Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1Z5.

The family requests that donations be made to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, 610 University Ave., Toronto M5G 2M9.