Mining titan BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP) believes it will continue to provide net benefits to Canadian communities if its succeeds in buying Potash Corp of Saskatchewan Inc (POT) and said it remains committed to getting Canadian regulatory approvals.

"Canada is a premier mining investment destination, and we believe that we have made a positive contribution to the Canadian communities in which we currently operate," BHP Billiton's chief executive Marius Kloppers said at the company's annual general meeting.

"We also believe that the same net benefits will accrue to Saskatchewan if we are successful in acquiring Potash Corp. In this regard, we continue to focus on gaining Canadian regulatory approvals," he added.

Over the summer, BHP made an unsolicited $39 billion offer to acquire all of Potash Corp, the world's largest producer of Potash, a key ingredient used in fertilizers. The bid is currently being reviewed by Canadian authorities but Saskatchewan officials are expected to tell the Canadian government--as early as this week--that BHP's proposed deal to buy Saskatchewan's biggest company doesn't benefit the province, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

-By Alex MacDonald, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0)20 7842 9328; alex.macdonald@dowjones.com