Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government is putting $125 million toward a new mine rescue training facility in Sudbury, aiming to expand emergency response capacity as mining activity ramps up across the province.
The planned Ontario Mine Rescue Training Institute will sit on a 120-acre site and is expected to provide hands-on training in both underground and surface mining scenarios. Funded through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), the centre is intended to train more than 540 mine rescue and fire response volunteers each year.
The investment comes as Ontario pushes to accelerate mining development, particularly in the critical minerals sector, where demand for materials used in electric vehicles and clean technology continues to grow.
Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce said the province needs a larger, better-trained workforce to support that growth while maintaining safety standards. He described the facility as a way to strengthen emergency response and ensure workers are prepared for high-risk situations.
The institute will include training for high-angle rescue, fire response, hazardous materials, confined spaces and structural collapse. Plans also call for classrooms equipped with virtual and augmented reality tools, along with accommodations for trainees attending multi-day sessions.
Ontario Mine Rescue, a division of Workplace Safety North, will operate the site. The organization has coordinated mine rescue services in the province for more than 90 years and currently supports a volunteer force of about 1,000 people.
By centralizing training in northern Ontario, the province expects to reduce travel time for volunteers and improve access to more advanced instruction. The facility is also expected to be used for broader emergency response training in partnership with municipal fire services and industrial teams.
Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli said the province is trying to position itself as a stable supplier of critical minerals, adding that stronger safety and rescue capacity is part of making the sector more attractive to investment.
No construction timeline has been released.
