Ontario grant will help export of mining services

The Ontario government will contribute $875,000 to the Canadian Association of Mining Equipment and Services for Export (CAMESE).

The funding will form part of the association’s $3.5-million, 5-year budget for developing export markets for Canadian suppliers of mining equipment and services.

CAMESE hopes the grant will be supplemented by revenue from expanded membership, fees for trade shows and contributions from other governments. As a result, the association’s budget is expected to increase to $700,000 in each of the next five years from about $200,000 in 1994.

The Ontario grant is part of that government’s Industrial Policy Framework, which is aimed at helping Canadian industries compete internationally. Most of the 600 Canadian companies that provide this country’s mining industry with products and services are based in Ontario, says CAMESE Managing Director Jon Baird.

“The Ontario government has recognized that mining suppliers are an integral part of the mining sector,” says Baird, who adds that suppliers account for about 15% of direct mining jobs in Canada.