Are your mining operations automated? Navigating Canada’s evolving regulatory landscape The deployment of autonomous systems in the Canadian mining sector reflects the industry’s continued evolution from technological developments. While such systems (including automated trucks) can offer improvements in efficiency and productivity, the introduction of this technology requires navigation of a developing regulatory framework that varies across provincial jurisdictions. Understanding evolving regulatory and compliance requirements is essential for mining companies seeking to implement automated technology. Automation and emerging regulatory considerations The mining industry in Canada has started to embrace automation as a productivity enabler, recognizing it as a factor in improving the efficiency and sustainability of certain mining methods (Global Mining Guidelines Group, Guideline for the Implementation of Autonomous Systems in Mining, 2024). While recent estimates indicate that less than 3% of mobile mining equipment is currently autonomous, we can expect this proportion to increase, and numerous original equipment manufacturers are now offering automated solutions in the mining sector, including mining trucks, haul loaders and drills (CS Group/Mining Sector, Position Paper: Evolution of the mining sector through autonomous systems, 2025). One of the key benefits of autonomous systems is the reduction of extensive human presence in hazardous operational areas while increasing production efficiencies. Ensuring the safety of these systems, however, remains a paramount concern for both mining operators and government regulators, as there is the potential for evolving risks, including cybersecurity and data privacy concerns, system configuration and reliability issues, and new categories of human-machine interactions. Consequently, existing regulatory regimes, including occupational health and safety requirements targeting manually operated equipment, may be inconsistent with the functionality of autonomous operations. Regulations that refer to drivers, for example, may not directly apply to autonomous vehicles where the traditional role of a driver is replaced by an automated control system. Because these regulations were