Gold was first discovered in Canada in 1823 along the shores of the Rivière Chaudière in the eastern townships of Québec. In 1858, following the famous rushes in California and Australia, gold was discovered in the sands of the Fraser River in the interior of British Columbia, starting the Cariboo gold rush. Almost 40 years later, the legendary Klondike gold rush in the Yukon marked the beginning of one of the most productive periods in Canadian gold mining history.
The early 1900s saw the establishment of several major gold mining camps in northern Ontario, including Porcupine, Timmins, Larder Lake, Kirkland Lake and Red Lake. The gold excitement swept across the provincial boundary into northern Québec and gold was discovered at Bourlamaque, Val d'Or, Chibougama and Malartic. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Canada's gold producing capacity was expanded in order to help meet wartime expenditures. Production reached an all-time high of 166 tonnes in 1941 but then declined dramatically because of wartime conditions.
By 1970 rising production costs had forced the closure of many gold mines in Canada and production dropped to one third of peak levels. Changes in international monetary policies led to a startling increase in gold prices in the late 1970s which, in turn, encouraged increased activity in gold exploration and new mine development. The 1981 discovery and subsequent development of the large Hemlo gold deposit in northern Ontario, followed by other discoveries and developments in each of Canada's provinces and territories, have resulted in increased production and a renewed importance of gold to the Canadian economy.
Canada's modern production annual production of gold is approximately 160 000 kilograms per year and the country has now slipped down the global table of providers. Turning out only about four per cent of the world’s gold it has slipped some way behind some of the major players such as South Africa, China, Russia and the USA and Australia.
The early 1900s saw the establishment of several major gold mining camps in northern Ontario, including Porcupine, Timmins, Larder Lake, Kirkland Lake and Red Lake. The gold excitement swept across the provincial boundary into northern Québec and gold was discovered at Bourlamaque, Val d'Or, Chibougama and Malartic. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Canada's gold producing capacity was expanded in order to help meet wartime expenditures. Production reached an all-time high of 166 tonnes in 1941 but then declined dramatically because of wartime conditions.
By 1970 rising production costs had forced the closure of many gold mines in Canada and production dropped to one third of peak levels. Changes in international monetary policies led to a startling increase in gold prices in the late 1970s which, in turn, encouraged increased activity in gold exploration and new mine development. The 1981 discovery and subsequent development of the large Hemlo gold deposit in northern Ontario, followed by other discoveries and developments in each of Canada's provinces and territories, have resulted in increased production and a renewed importance of gold to the Canadian economy.
Canada's modern production annual production of gold is approximately 160 000 kilograms per year and the country has now slipped down the global table of providers. Turning out only about four per cent of the world’s gold it has slipped some way behind some of the major players such as South Africa, China, Russia and the USA and Australia.
