22 August 2013
Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced significant new support for geo-mapping in Canada’s North, which will promote resource exploration in the region. The support is being provided through Phase II of the Government’s Geo-Mapping for Energy and Minerals (GEM) program, which was first launched in 2008. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and Minister for the Arctic Council, Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Senator Dennis Patterson and Ryan Leef, Member of Parliament for Yukon.
“Our Government is working to ensure that Northerners and all Canadians benefit from the tremendous natural resources in the Territories. Our investment in resource exploration will continue to unlock the full economic, mineral and energy potential of the region, while generating new government revenues, private sector investment and jobs," said Prime Minister Harper. "This critical knowledge will also help Northerners make informed decisions about land use and preserve our Northern environment."
To date, our Government’s GEM program has produced more than 700 maps and reports, providing the exploration industry with valuable tools to explore Canada’s North. Phase II of GEM support will be used to further develop modern geological maps and data sets that will completely cover Canada’s North by 2020. These geo-maps will then be made accessible to industry investors, land-use planners, government and community agencies to inform resource exploration and development.
Today’s announcement supports sustainable economic development in the North — a key component of the Government of Canada's Northern Strategy. It is part of the Government’s efforts to invest in science that locates natural resources in the North, streamlines the regulatory processes required for the private sector to develop these assets and trains Northerners so they can secure well paying jobs being generated by new exploration and mining ventures.
This document is also available in Inuktitut at http://pm.gc.ca/grfx/docs/20130822_NR_GeoMapData_IU.pdf
