Artisanal Gold Council Statement on the 2023 Federal Budget

VICTORIA, BC – Kevin Telmer, Executive Director of the Victoria BC-based non-profit Artisanal Gold Council, released the following statement upon the release of the 2023 Federal Budget:“We are encouraged by the important place that critical minerals hold in the federal budget as a top-line priority item. By committing to invest in the development of new technology and equipment to extract and process critical minerals, the government understands that investing in increased recovery improves land productivity and reduces environmental impact, a core tenant of the work of the Artisanal Gold Council.”“We are pleased to see that the government is investing $40.4 million over five years in Global Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence to establish the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence. Climate change is a critical global security issue and addressing it takes a full-court press, at home and abroad, to ensure we are putting all climate change mitigation strategies on the table. We agree, and developing a standardized, professionalized ASGM sector will contribute to reducing carbon emissions and strengthening global security.”“In the coming months and years, we look forward to our ongoing discussions with the Government of Canada to continue to make our case that gold, specifically ASGM gold must be added to the Critical Minerals Strategy. Formalized ASGM gold lowers emissions, supports 100 million people in developing countries worldwide to gain economic freedom, helps women and girls by giving them greater opportunities, and reduces money laundering and renders people less vulnerable to black marketeers, which also improves global security.”