Province announced $125M toward the ‘transformative’ Mine Rescue Training Academy today at the Workplace Safety North mining safety conference currently underway in the Nickel City
Greater Sudbury will be the future home of a state-of-the-art mine rescue training facility, it was announced today at Workplace Safety North’s 28th annual Mining Health and Safety Conference, currently underway in Sudbury.
Funding of $125 million to build the Mine Rescue Training Academy will flow through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister David Piccini announced today.
It will be the only facility of its kind in Canada, Mayor Paul Lefebvre said in a news release.
“This investment reinforces Greater Sudbury’s position as a global centre of excellence in mining innovation and safety,” the mayor said. “As the only facility of its kind in Canada, the new Mine Rescue Training Academy will strengthen worker safety, create new economic opportunities, and attract talent and expertise from around the world, helping ensure our community remains at the forefront of responsible mining for decades to come.”
The academy will offer specialty training in confined spaces, live fire exercises, tower and water rescues, and other targeted programs “to further mining health and safety and emergency preparedness services for not just Ontario but globally” and it will all be offered at a 124-acre facility to be built at an as-yet-unnamed site in Greater Sudbury.
Once complete, the academy will train more than 540 mine rescue and fire responder volunteers annually, the province said in a news release. It will be operated by Ontario Mine Rescue, which will also use the facility for training.
“An initiative of this calibre strengthens our resources and expands access to equipment and training, enabling continual improvement and ensuring the evolving needs of mine rescue across the industry are fully supported,” said Shawn Rideout, the chief mine rescue officer with Ontario Mine Rescue, in the news release.
The province said the new facility aligns with the province’s broader mining and economic strategy “to strengthen supply chain resilience, drive economic growth, and advance responsible development of critical minerals, particularly in Northern Ontario.”
The release stated as demand for critical minerals is expected to double by 2030, the facility shows that Sudbury will “play a major role in economic development for the province as a whole.”
Mike Parent, president and CEO of Workplace Safety North and Ontario Mine Rescue, called the announcement “transformative”.
“This is a transformative step for mine rescue and emergency preparedness in Ontario,” he said in the news release. “A world-class mine rescue training academy in Sudbury will significantly strengthen our capacity to deliver advanced, leading-edge training and ensure we are prepared for the future growth of mining in this province. It firmly positions Ontario as a global leader in mine safety and emergency response.”