The provincial government is deferring certain fee payments, and waiving other charges to assist the mining, quarry, and mineral exploration industries affected by the pandemic.

Natural Resources Minister Siobhan Coady announced the measures this morning.

She says the industry is worth a lot to the local economy, with almost $4.3-billion in mineral shipments, over $48.6-million in exploration expenditures, and a quarry industry valued at nearly $30-million. Employment exceeds nearly 7,000 people.

Rental and fee payments associated with land tenure have been deferred to the end of the year. That includes mining and surface lease rentals, mineral licence renewal fees, and rentals for quarry permits. The date range to qualify for deferral is from the March 18—the declaration of the public health emergency in NL—to December 31, 2020.

Water use charge payments for 2019, related to mineral exploration have been waived, while mineral assessment expenditure requirements have been waived for one-year for mineral licences, from March 18, 2020 to March 17, 2021.

The Mineral Incentive Program will continue, providing $1.7-million in financial assistance and training.