This is largely a preliminary record; while unprocessed records are included in this series-level description, please also consult the accession records linked to the lower-level descriptive records.
This series consists of records that were maintained by the Mineral Policy Sector of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources or the Sector's predecessor, the Mineral Development Sector.
In the early 1990s, the mandate of the Mineral Policy Sector was to foster the development of the minerals and metals industries to ensure their maximum contribution to the Canadian economy. The sector recommended and implemented policies and strategies, managed mineral development agreement programs with the provinces and stimulated mineral and energy exploration activity.
In 1992, the sector had five branches: the Mineral Strategy Branch, the Mineral and Metals Commodities Branch, the Economic and Financial Policy Analysis Branch, the Incentives Branch, and the Planning and Management Services Branch.
The series primarily consists of registry files maintained by the sector. In the early 1990s, the Branches of the Mineral Policy Sector used separate sections of the Mineral Policy Sector's registry. File numbers from that registry system have the prefix "MP" (mineral policy). The series also includes many files from previous registry systems, as well as other files maintained by individual staff.
The series has sub-series for each of three Branches: the Mineral Strategy Branch, the Mineral and Metals Commodities Branch, and the Economic and Financial Policy Analysis Branch. Descriptions of each of those Branches, along with a description of the "MP" registry sections used by that Branch, are found in the linked lower-level descriptions.
This series also consists of the records of the Mineral Policy Sector's Incentives Branch. The Incentives Branch administered the Canadian Exploration and Development Incentives Program (CEDIP), the Canadian Exploration Incentive Program (CEIP), and the Petroleum Incentives Program (PIP) and the acts and regulations related to those programs. The Incentive Branch's National Audit Directorate established a related audit program and monitored compliance to Treasury Board guidelines on the audit of federal contributions. Among its other duties, the Planning and Management Services Branch was also involved in the management of CEIP, doing claims processing, quality control, and records management.
Finally, the series also consists of several collections of records that were considered dormant in the 1990s by the Department of Energy, Mines, and Resources or its successor. These collections of records include but are not limited to: regional mineral development records, Road to Resources records, and records from the cabinet drawers of individual employees. Of particular note, the series includes 10 m of records from the office of Dr. Crosby, Resource Management Branch, that pertain to Canadian representation to the Law of the Sea Conference and departmental involvement in northern offshore matters such as offshore mineral rights.
