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This dissertation explores the socioeconomic impacts of mine closures in Canada, focusing on the vulnerabilities that arise within local economies and the political economy implications of industrial changes. Through a combination of historical, quantitative, and qualitative analyses, the research provides a comprehensive understanding of the effects of mine closures on employment, municipal finances, and community livelihood.

The studies provide key foundations to the analysis of mining in Canada. First, I trace back the history of the mining in the country by presenting four regimes to comprehend industrial changes and continuities since 1859. This is the first longitudinal analysis made of the industry at the Canadian level. Second, I construct a novel database of mining activities from 1950 to 2023, which both offers an essential base for the rest of the dissertation and can be used by other researchers.

The dissertation then estimates the dynamic effects of a closure and draws a multifaceted understanding of community livelihoods in resource-dependent regions. The findings reveal that the repercussions of mine closures extend beyond immediate job losses at the mine. I uncover the large spillover into employments in other industries and the constraints on fiscal capacities of mining municipalities in the long run. I demonstrate the persistence of the effects on local labour markets and the significant challenges in maintaining essential services following mine closures.

Overall, this dissertation contributes valuable insights for policymakers, stakeholders, and scholars interested in the sustainable development of mining communities and the economic history of regional structural transformation. With respect to necessary transition toward sustainable economies, I underscore the importance of linkages and economic structures to mitigate the adverse effects of mine closures and the need to be critical to the sustainable mining discourse given the history of the industry in Canada.