Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (Ontario)
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry (MNDMF) is responsible for assisting economic development
in the Northern Ontario
region, and for mining
and forestry
regulation, in the Canadian province of Ontario
.
The ministry's head office is located in Sudbury. The current Minister of Northern Development and Mines is the Honourable Michael Gravelle
.
MNDM's programs also include the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
, and the creation and funding of local services boards to provide essential services in remote Northern Ontario communities which are not served by incorporated municipal governments.
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
in the Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
region, and for mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
regulation, in the Canadian province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
The ministry's head office is located in Sudbury. The current Minister of Northern Development and Mines is the Honourable Michael Gravelle
Michael Gravelle
Michael Gravelle is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is the Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry, and also a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the northern riding of Thunder Bay—Superior North for the Ontario Liberal Party.Gravelle was born in Port...
.
MNDM's programs also include the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund is a division of the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry in the Canadian province of Ontario, whose purpose is to provide funding and program support to foster economic development in the economically disadvantaged Northern Ontario region.The NOHF...
, and the creation and funding of local services boards to provide essential services in remote Northern Ontario communities which are not served by incorporated municipal governments.
History
- 1889 – An Act of British Parliament gives control of Northern Ontario to the Ontario government. The province sets policies to develop the region's natural resources.
- 1905 – The first cabinet minister from Northern Ontario, Sudbury's Frank CochraneFrancis CochraneFrancis Cochrane, PC was a Canadian politician.-Municipal career:A prosperous hardware merchant in Sudbury, Ontario, he was the first president of the town's board of trade and later served as mayor of the town in 1897, 1898 and 1902 after winning a council seat in 1896.Along with local...
, is appointed. Cochrane serves as minister of the new Department of Lands, Forests and Mines until 1911. - 1912 – The Department creates a Northern Development Branch to further support growth in the North. In 1926, this branch becomes the Department of Northern Development.
- 1930s – The Department of Northern Development merges with the Department of Highways. Its purpose: to build and maintain roads and bridges in Northern Ontario.
- 1970 – The government creates a new Department of Mines and Northern Affairs in response to northerners' concerns about the lack of access to provincial government information. Twenty-four Northern Affairs offices in the region bring the Ontario government to northerners. This department changes name and responsibilities throughout the 1970s and early 1980s due to government restructuring.
- 1985 – The government creates a new Ministry of Northern Affairs and Mines. Later that year, the name becomes the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. The change emphasizes the province's commitment to greater social and economic development in the north.
- 1990 – The ministry headquarters are re-located to two new buildings in Sudbury.
- 2009 – The realignment of forestry from the Ministry of Natural Resources to the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is announced reflecting the importance of forestry to many northern and rural communities. The renamed Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry now leads the business and economic aspects of forestry, including industrial strategy, forest sector competitiveness programs, softwood lumber and wood allocation, pricing and licensing.