Mr. Speaker, mining, mineral exploration and quarrying are so important to the future of this province. Over $4 billion in mineral shipments, $82.6 million in exploration expenditures, and employment of about 7,700 person years are projected for 2021.
Today I am pleased to announce that yesterday, just over five months into the year, Newfoundland and Labrador has exceeded the total number of exploration approvals issued in all of last year.
Mr. Speaker, this is a significant indication that the mining world has caught on to the mineral potential that exists here in our province. To date there have been 400 exploration approvals, with seven months to go in 2021. The increased demand for exploration approvals is on the heels of claim staking activity that hasn’t been seen in over 15 years. Over 60,000 claims have been staked so far in 2021; with nearly 32,000 claims staked last month alone.
As part of this increased exploration activity in the province, numerous new exploration companies have begun investing here this year – with many companies having optioned properties from local prospectors.
Mr. Speaker, our government is creating favorable conditions for mineral development within Newfoundland and Labrador. At the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, we waived certain expenditure requirements under the Mineral Act and deferred selected fees and payments. These measures provided financial relief of over $30 million, easing recovery for industries economically impacted by COVID-19. But our mineral exploration industry worked through the necessary health and safety constraints, and gained momentum.
The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada states that every dollar in government spending in public geoscience results in $5 in private sector exploration. Recognizing this importance and its role in helping attract new exploration investment to the province, this year we are investing an additional $2.5 million for focused geoscience data collection and interpretation. We are also investing $1.7 million for the mineral exploration industry through the Prospector Assistance Program and the Junior Exploration Assistance Program.
Mr. Speaker, the burst of mining activity in this province brings with it increased administrative efforts. From processing applications, to managing and issuing licenses, to handling confidential agreements; staff at the mining division need to be commended for their hard work and commitment to this additional workload being handled without any additional resources. Thank you to Andrea Devereaux, Matt Snow, Kevin Sheppard, Stephen Hinchey, Justin Lake, Robyn Constantine and Alex Smith.
Mr. Speaker, we still have seven more months to go and I look forward to many more positive developments in our province’s thriving mining industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.