Corporate Social Responsibility: Movements and Footprints of Canadian Mining and Exploration Firms in the Developing World

Canadian registered and listed mining and exploration companies represent one of the most economically powerful sectors of the Canadian economy. Collectively, the mining and exploration sectors account for 42 billion dollars of Canadian gross domestic product while providing hundreds of thousands of jobs for Canadians and foreign individuals employed by Canadian firms overseas. Canadian mining and exploration companies constitute over three quarters of the total number of mining and exploration companies in existence globally. Canada is the only distantly challenged by peer sectors and super-power firms based in Australia, the UK and South Africa. In 2007, Canadian mining companies were responsible for over 60 billion dollars investment in projects in developing countries, contributing billions more in tax dollars to the local, regional and national government where their operations are hosted.