Dwight Ball commits to supporting Labrador mining despite recent downturn
Taking the Liberal campaign to western Labrador Wednesday, leader Dwight Ball pledged support for the troubled mining industry in the area.
Ball told reporters that as premier he would look at different ways to spur growth in the region's troubled mining sector.
That includes a $1.5 million investment in junior exploration, as well as continuing grants to prospectors looking for new resources.
Ball said while not the only option for supporting new mining projects, venture capital investments would certainly be on the table if and when his party wins on Nov. 30.
"We see some opportunity here, and not always necessarily just with money itself," he said.
"We've often talked about Crown lands. There are a number of government assets that we would have available to us that could be used to support venture capital investment into the mining industry."
Ball was campaigning with Liberal candidate Graham Letto, a former mayor of Labrador City. Letto is competing against Tory incumbent Nick McGrath and NDP candidate Ron Barron.
Ball says despite the recent doom and gloom in Labrador with regards to mining, he said the industry still makes a significant contribution to the province — one that government should still facilitate.
"We're looking forward to that big next find that can make a tremendous impact on our economy," he said.
"We're going to do whatever we can to support the industry and get to back on track."
While he wouldn't go into specifics of what that support could look like, he said lowered rates for electricity and venture capital investments would be on the table to help out businesses that want to set up mining operations in the area.
"It's our job as a government, to facilitate, create that environment for success," he said.
"If we have something that's available to us as a government ... we will want to make sure we create this environment."
Wabush Mines shut down its iron ore mine in 2014. In neighbouring Labrador City, the Iron Ore Company of Canada has been scaling back operations.