Bill 155 explained in plain English
Mining Amendment Act, 2015
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 41st Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
The Mining Amendment Act, 2015, updates Ontario's mining laws to implement an electronic mining lands administration system and an online mining claims registration system.
Bill 155, the Mining Amendment Act, 2015, makes significant changes to Ontario's mining legislation. The primary purpose is to introduce a new electronic system for managing mining lands, including an online registration system for mining claims. This modernized system aims to streamline processes, improve access to information, and update the language and procedures related to mining claims and their administration.
- Introduces a new electronic mining lands administration system.
- Creates an online system for registering mining claims.
- Updates definitions and procedures within the Mining Act to support the new electronic system.
- Establishes a new mining claims registry as an electronic public record.
- Clarifies and amends various sections of the Mining Act to reflect the shift from 'staking' to 'registration' of mining claims.
- Introduces new categories of mining claims, such as 'cell claims' and 'boundary claims', based on a grid system.
- Provides transitional provisions for existing claims ('legacy claims') to be converted to the new system.
- Modifies rules related to prospector's licences and awareness programs.
- Updates provisions concerning forfeiture, abandonment, and disputes of mining claims.
- Amends language and processes related to exploration plans and permits.
- Adjusts rules for filing reports, performing assessment work, and dealing with claim holders' rights and obligations.
- Individuals and companies involved in mining and mineral exploration in Ontario.
- Prospectors seeking licences.
- Holders of existing and new mining claims.
- Surface rights owners.
- Government officials, including the Minister, recorders, the Commissioner, and Ministry staff responsible for mining administration.
- The public seeking information about mining claims.
- Claim holders must now register mining claims electronically.
- Claim holders have obligations regarding confirmation of registration to surface rights owners.
- The Minister may issue directives regarding the use of the electronic system.
- Claim holders must keep their contact information updated in the electronic system.
- New procedures are established for avoiding claim forfeiture.
- Claim holders have rights to compensation if their surface rights are damaged by mining activities.
- The bill defines new types of claims ('cell claims', 'boundary claims') which may affect how rights and obligations are managed.
- Legacy claims must be converted to the new system, with specific rules for conversion based on original claim configurations.
- The Act comes into force on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor.
- Specific processes, such as the conversion of 'legacy claims', are tied to a 'conversion date' set by regulation.
- The bill makes changes to how assessment work is reported and credited.
- It mentions the calculation of rental fees based on perimeter surveys.
- It allows for fees to be established for services related to the mining lands administration system.
- The bill updates offence provisions in section 164, including penalties for making false statements in information submitted to the mining lands administration system.
- It clarifies procedures for cancelling mining claims due to false statements or non-compliance.
- The bill addresses situations where mining claims may be forfeited due to failure to meet requirements, such as performing assessment work.
- The exact commencement date of the Act is not specified, as it depends on proclamation.
- Many details regarding the implementation and operation of the new electronic system, including specific requirements for directives, regulations, and procedures, are not fully detailed in the bill text itself and will be subject to further regulation.
- The bill introduces new claim types ('cell claims', 'boundary claims') and conversion processes for 'legacy claims' which may have complex implications for existing claim holders.
- The specific 'conversion date' for legacy claims is not provided and will be set by regulation.
- The Minister has discretion in issuing directives and making certain decisions, such as waiving confirmation of registration or setting terms for transferring forfeited interests.
This bill makes numerous amendments to the Mining Act, including changes to definitions, the introduction of new sections, and the repeal and replacement of existing sections. These changes are primarily to implement the new electronic mining lands administration system and online claims registration.
Source: Multiple sections
The definition of 'Minister' in the Mining Act is amended to specify different ministers responsible for different parts of the Act, which may relate to the administration of the Executive Council Act.
Source: Section 1(10)
The Mining Act is amended to require that the mining claims registry be maintained in accordance with the requirements established under the Archives and Recordkeeping Act, 2006.
Source: Section 4(1)(b)
Part III of the Legislation Act, 2006, does not apply to directives made regarding the use of the mining lands administration system. It also does not apply to the establishment of fees under section 177.1.
Source: Sections 4.1(6), 177.1(4)
Amendments to the Mining Act relate to situations where surface rights are disposed of under the Public Lands Act, affecting how claim holders' consent is handled.
Source: Section 51(2.1)(a)
Actions taken or not taken under the new mining system provisions are not to be considered expropriation or injurious affection under the Expropriations Act or at law.
Source: Section 38.4(6)
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
Official textProcess Snapshot
Vote Summary
This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
How this data is sourced