GEOSCIENCE & INNOVATION

Spearheaded by the Geoscience and Innovation chair, the Data Analytics Working Group was formed in 2022. Terms of reference were developed throughout the summer to outline the objectives of the working group –the main objective being the creation of a best practices document for responsible and effective use of data analytics in geoscience. In the fall, the data collection phase for the project was undertaken. The committee will continue to support the Data Analytics Working Group’s progress on this piece throughout 2023, as well as looking at restarting the Geoscience Anecdotes blog page on the PDAC website.

HEALTH & SAFETY

The committee saw an increase in activity and meetings toward the latter half of the year, following the development of a “Spring into Safety” webinar series. The webinars – launched in 2022 from the PDAC member portal – included reviews of practices for safe exploration, helicopter safety, and incident prevention in the field, ahead of the summer exploration season. The committee also continued supporting the annual Health & Safety Survey in partnership with the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) and the Canadian Diamond Drilling Association (CDDA).

A top goal for 2023 will be to bring awareness to –and expand the availability of resources concerning –psychological health and safety, mental wellness and mental health.

Human Resource Development

One of the committee’s focuses for 2022 was to finalize the 2023 relaunch of the Student-Industry Mineral Exploration Workshop (S-IMEW) after a three-year hiatus. After receiving support from the board, with resources attributed to the program in the overall Budget and Workplan, work began in September, 2022, with a planned May, 2023, launch for the revamped and renewed S-IMEW.

Another major focus was to increase engagement, outreach and programming for the Student & Early Career Program. In collaboration with Carleton University Geology Society, the Geoscience Careers speaker series was presented. This weekly live webinar series was held over eight weeks in February and March, and featured a wide range of geoscientists talking about their career paths, a typical workday, lifestyle and career balance. The committee also collaborated with PDAC’s Membership department on the eLearning series in the spring.

The student events at the Convention in June were well attended, with the “Student-Industry Mixer” and “20-Minute Mentoring” programs being remodeled for the show (although lower student registration numbers at the June 2022 Convention were due to student summer work commitments).

The committee was also honoured to collaborate with the Leishman family in 2022, to introduce the Dr. Donald M. Leishman Convention Experience. This opportunity will be first made available for students attending the PDAC 2023 Convention, and is a legacy to Dr. Leishman for his longstanding support for PDAC, and passion for student mentorship in the minerals industry.

Looking ahead to 2023, the committee is aiming to collaborate with and continue supporting the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) and Mining Matters, in an effort to increase awareness for underrepresented groups and new entrants to Canada on opportunities in the mineral exploration and development sector in Canada.

| INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS

In 2022, the committee remained committed to monitoring regulatory and policy developments regarding the UNDRIP Action Plan, National Benefits Sharing Framework, and related funding for Indigenous Participation in the Critical Minerals Strategy, as announced in Budget 2022. The committee was pleased to be invited by NRCan to submit our reflections on the National Benefits Sharing Framework (NBSF) Scoping Paper. In late November, PDAC presented our submission to NRCan and expressed our interest to be an ongoing partner in its development.

The spring of 2022 saw the completion and publication of the Social Impact of Mineral Development Projects in Indigenous Communities (the Study). Being one of the major priorities for the Indigenous Affairs Committee in the year, the Study’s aim was to identify the anticipated impacts – and subsequent increased demands on – social infrastructure for host Indigenous communities within proximity to mineral development projects in Canada.

Together with the Lands & Regulations committee, another focus was on assisting with modernization of the Mineral Tenure Act (MTA) in British Columbia, by providing additional perspectives around the mineral claim staking process, and the public’s understanding of the free-entry system.

The committee also produced an impactful Hybrid Indigenous Program during PDAC 2022. The program had Knowledge Keeper Ed Sackaney lead an opening blessing, and the Indigenous Affairs committee was honoured to lead the development of a conventionwide Land Acknowledgment Guide to open and set the tone of each session and event. Also at the convention, the “Indigenous Leaders Roundtable” was re-branded to “The Sharing Circle: A Gathering of Indigenous Leaders”, and included PDAC President Alex Christopher with five online and two in-person sessions. These sessions brought to life topics such as ESG-I, economic reconciliation, procurement and others.

For 2023, the committee is looking to build on the existing pillars of the Indigenous Program at the 2023 Convention, and continue to highlight the shared learning of the published Social and Economic Impact studies.

International

One of the committee’s top goals for the year was to grow PDAC’s international network of governments, their respective agencies and cooperative organizations. By the end of 2022 PDAC had developed new relationships with a number of governments, agencies, and organizations, through collaboration on critical and strategic mineral supply chain development, mineral trade agreements, and implementation of bilateral strategies. This was seen in the PDAC-hosted International Mines Ministers Summit (IMMS) on June 14, 2022, during our annual convention, where representatives from 20 nations around the world gathered in an expanded format that allowed for broader engagement. The theme was “Getting to Net Zero: Mining’s Role in Reducing Global Emissions”, with discussions focusing on the importance of minerals and metals as building blocks for the rapidly emerging clean energy technologies required to achieve net zero.

Another major accomplishment achieved by the committee through 2022 was seeing PDAC continue to be recognized internationally as the global leader for mineral exploration and development – both in terms of convening the world at our annual convention, and in providing sound guidance on policy developments and best practices.

The committee is looking to re-ignite international interest and participation for PDAC’s 2023 Convention, as well as looking forward to hosting another successful IMMS in 2023 – which will continue to build on the groundwork from 2022’s Summit.

| LANDS & REGULATIONS

The committee had three areas of focus in 2022. The first was to elevate member concerns around the inconsistent and lengthy application of the Department of Fisheries and Ocean’s (DFO) regulations. Building off our feedback submissions to Wave 1 engagements in 2021, the committee continued to participate in joint natural resource industry stakeholder calls to further elevate the issue.

A second focus, executed jointly with the Indigenous Affairs committee, was on aiding the British Columbia government’s modernization efforts to their Mineral Tenure Act (MTA), by helping to provide additional perspectives around the mineral claim staking process, and aid the public’s understanding of the free-entry system. The committee also focused on the issue of Protected Areas, and was pleased to share specific concerns directly to the government about using evidence-based decision-making when designating Protected Areas and Indigenous Protected Areas. We also identified other concerned stakeholders in the decision-making process, thus helping to elevate coordinated concerns and recommendations to the government.

In 2022, the committee provided a submission to the Canadian Wildlife Service’s Protected Areas Directorate at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). This submission outlined recommendations for prioritizing mineral development potential in land management decisions, ensuring fair and transparent coordination with provinces, and consistency with federal initiatives such as Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy.

The committee is looking forward to continuing to advocate for the above concerns regarding DFO regulations and BC’s MTA through 2023. The committee has also been working with the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) on the Methodology to Assess MiningRelated Disturbance Study over the last few years. This work was in the final stages towards the latter half of 2022, and we are excited to launch it in 2023.

Securities

Early in 2022, PDAC submitted commentary in response to a public consultation regarding climate related disclosure (the proposed NI 51-107, Disclosure of Climate-related Matters). The goal was to identify to the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) why there is a need for alternative treatment of junior companies from producers, in a way that reflects the different scale of their activities and related emissions. While a CSA press release in October related to NI 51-107 made no mention of further developments, it is noteworthy that Canada Climate Low Initiative – a non-governmental organization – published the committee’s proposal to

CSA, noting the use of the PDAC GHG Calculator in one of their own reports.

The committee was also part of a public consultation effort aimed at improving National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) to make it more efficient and better streamlined with a technical focus. NI 43-101 defines technical disclosure requirements for mineral resource projects for Canadian listed issuers, and had not been updated in over 10 years. The committee’s response – and the insights from the public comments to NI 43-101 – were discussed in a Capital Markets Program session during PDAC 2023.

The committee’s number one accomplishment in 2022 stems from consultation and advocacy efforts that began in 2021. The “Listed Issuer Financing Exemption” – which became effective in late 2022 – allows public companies to raise up to $10 million, based on a short disclosure document, instead of a prospectus. PDAC expects this exemption will assist many exploration companies to raise funds and increase their investor base at significantly reduced costs.

Heading into 2023, the committee will monitor the effectiveness of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, as well as follow up on the consultation of NI 43-101, and continue to advocate on behalf of PDAC’s members for the ICA Amendment (Bill C-34) through the legislative process.

Sustainability

From the end of 2021 into the start of 2022 the “Corporate Social Responsibility” (CSR) committee was re-branded as the “Sustainability” committee. This better aligned the work the committee conducts with the Convention Sustainability Program, and recognizes that responsible exploration expands beyond just CSR concepts – to encompass environment, social engagement, corporate governance, safety, as well as equity, diversity and inclusion issues.

2022 saw two cycles of committee chairs and members build Convention sessions that address all aspects of this mandate, such as: decarbonization in the junior sector, digital community engagement, sustainable supply chains, ESG reporting alignment and more.

The success of the return to an in-person Sustainability Program at PDAC 2022 reflected the effort of the committee itself, brought by the committee’s chairs who pushed for diversity on panels, the need to address challenges, and create content driven by conversations. Their top goal for the 2022 program – which was immediately followed by a shortened 2023 planning process – was to generate a strong suite of sessions focused on tangible takeaways for junior exploration companies.

The committee also works with PDAC and its stakeholders to develop CSR and ESG-related frameworks, and assess their compatibility with PDAC’s flagship “e3 Plus” framework. E3 Plus will celebrate its 20-year anniversary in 2023, and currently includes ‘Principles & Guidance Notes’, three toolkits, and multiple practical performance guides. The committee has formed a working group to initiate the next generation of the e3 Plus framework. During the coming year, this suite of resources will be updated in partnership with the Communications team and PDAC’s advocacy staff.