Attendance at the 88th Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) 2020 Convention totalled 23,144 – an astounding number that PDAC says highlights the resilience and innovation of the international mineral exploration and mining sector.

 The conference took place on Sunday, March 1 to Wednesday, March 4, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto. The convention boasted over 1100 exhibitors in technology, products, services, claim results, exploration, and investment opportunities. They also hosted over 778 speakers, who touched on topics from capital markets, indigenous relations, student and early careers, to sustainability and geoscience.

“This is the must-attend event for anyone connected to the mineral and mining industry across the world, and marks my 33rd straight year,” said PDAC President Felix Lee in a press release. “The PDAC Convention’s significance is now widely recognized by all levels of government who look forward to using it as an opportunity for announcements – including Prime Minister Trudeau.”

Notable announcements included:
• Seamus O’Regan, the Minister of Natural Resources, announcing the next phase of the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan (CMMP).
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing that the federal government will be promoting the adoption of on-road to off-road electric vehicles, including vehicles used in mining applications.
• Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Minister Greg Rickford announcing that Ontario will develop road access in northern Ontario to service First Nations communities and potentially develop the Ring of Fire project.
• Catherine Raw, Chief Operating Officer at North America Barrick Gold Corporation, discussing the recent spate of M&A in the gold mining sector, how it differs from that of the past, and the potential implications this has on investment and growth in the future.

According to PDAC, the convention is the culmination of advocacy efforts undertaken by their organization throughout 2019-2020 on behalf of its 7,500 members and the mineral exploration and development industry. In addition, every year the PDAC Convention injects upwards of $70 million into the local Toronto economy.

“More than 25,000 attendees from over 132 countries are consistently represented at the PDAC Convention, and some of the top reasons for this are the networking, investment and learning opportunities,” adds Lee. “It’s a historical and iconic event that we are proud to offer on behalf of the sector each year.”

The 12 top countries represented at the PDAC Convention are Canada, the US, Australia, the UK, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Germany, and China.

The PDAC 2021 Convention will be held in Toronto on March 7 to 10, 2021.

PDAC is the leading voice of the mineral exploration and development community. With over 7,500 members around the world, PDAC’s work centres on supporting a competitive, responsible mineral sector. PDAC is known worldwide for its annual PDAC Convention – the premier international event for the mining industry – that has attracted over 25,000 people from 135 countries in recent years. For more information, please visit www.pdac.ca.