ONTARIO NEWS RELEASE: Ontario Investing to Accelerate Made-in-Canada Critical Minerals Supply Chain

SUDBURY — As global demand for critical minerals continues to rise, the Ontario government is investing to accelerate the development and delivery of homegrown technologies that will unlock new mineral deposits, strengthen mining and processing capabilities and build a fully integrated, made-in-Ontario critical minerals supply chain. As part of its plan to build a stronger, more self-reliant economy, the government is investing more than $4 million through the Critical Minerals Innovation Fund (CMIF) to advance new technologies that attract investment and create more good-paying jobs across the province.

“Critical minerals are driving new jobs, investment and economic growth as the world turns to Ontario as its reliable partner,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines. “Our province has world-class mineral deposits, workforce and a new permit system that has transformed Ontario into Canada’s top jurisdiction for mining investment. After starting the road to the Ring of Fire five years ahead of schedule, Ontario is intentionally investing in made-in-Canada innovation and processing to strengthen our end-to-end critical minerals supply chain. At a time when countries around the world are competing for secure and reliable sources of critical minerals, Ontario is moving with speed to unlock the most ethical resources on earth.”

Since 2018, Ontario has been building a world-class, end-to-end critical minerals supply chain. To support the next generation of mining and processing technologies, businesses can now apply through the Critical Minerals Innovation Fund (CMIF) for up to $500,000 per project support initiatives that:

• Building a home-grown battery supply chain: to support global electric vehicle markets, energy storage, and other advanced technologies.
• Deep exploration and mining: helping companies access mineral resources deeper below the Earth’s surface than previously explored.
• Recovery of minerals: by using advanced technologies to retrieve minerals from tailings produced at mine sites.
• Mining innovation: accelerating projects that create new innovations in the critical minerals sector.

Ontario is taking historic action to become the world’s leading jurisdiction for critical minerals and mining. Through transformative permitting reforms, the province now ranks first in Canada and second globally for mining investment attractiveness. Combined with accelerating construction of the roads to the Ring of Fire five years ahead of schedule, Ontario is unlocking generational economic opportunity, attracting investment, creating jobs and building a secure, made-in-Canada supply chain for the critical minerals the world needs.

Since its launch in 2022, Ontario has invested more than $25 million in 47 strategic projects that are transforming Ontario’s mining and minerals sector at all levels, from extraction to processing and advanced manufacturing. By helping companies commercialize breakthrough technologies, the fund positions the province as a global mineral powerhouse by attracting international investment.

The CMIF is a key initiative in the government’s plan to update its Critical Minerals Strategy and position the province as a reliable global supplier of responsibly sourced critical minerals and build one, fully integrated, made-in-Ontario supply chain. As the global demand for critical minerals needed to manufacture batteries, modern defence technologies and advanced manufacturing skyrockets, Ontario has the deposits, skilled workforce, expertise and investment certainty to secure the province’s place as the most competitive jurisdiction in the G7 to invest, create jobs and do business.