Investments in critical minerals infrastructure are essential to enable Canada to seize the enormous economic opportunity the low-carbon economy presents and to capitalize on our rich mineral resources. Canada is well positioned to be a global leader and a first-class producer of a wide variety of critical minerals that are essential to power the clean economy — including lithium and copper — and, in turn, create good jobs and support economic opportunities across critical mineral value chains — from mining to processing, manufacturing and recycling.
On Monday, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, along with the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, and Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Rainy River, announced up to $13.8 million in funding, pending final due diligence from Natural Resources Canada, for five critical minerals infrastructure developments in Northwestern Ontario. This funding would be provided through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF).
“These projects, under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy’s flagship program, will develop the necessary infrastructure to access and transport our rich critical mineral resources in Northwestern Ontario to market,” said Wilkinson.
“Developments like these help mines get built faster, and they are a key element in seizing the generational opportunity before us. These investments complement the long history and deep expertise of the region in mining, create good jobs in Ontario and drive economic growth, now and into the future.”
This investment would include $5.5 million to Green TM Resources Canada Ltd. to upgrade 56 kilometres of existing roads and replace three bridges to support the development of a lithium mine near Armstrong, Ontario, and bypass residential communities.
Cameron Henry is the Managing Director for Green TM Resources Canada Ltd. Henry expressed thanks to those involved for the support of the company’s project.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank NRCan for the conditional approval of key infrastructure for the Seymour project,” Henry said.
“This road and bridge upgrade project is essential for advancing the mine’s development and will bring significant benefits to the local community, such as improving road safety and reducing traffic through town. Mining projects are always challenging to get off the ground, so we greatly appreciate the federal government’s support for this critical infrastructure.”
The package also includes $1.4 million to Rock Tech Lithium Inc. to upgrade and extend a 10-kilometre access road north of Nipigon, Ontario, that would enable the transportation of lithium from its Georgia Lake Project mine site, an open pit and underground mine.
“We are honoured to receive this funding to support the development of our Georgia Lake mining project,” said Dirk Harbecke, Chief Executive Officer for Rock Tech Lithium Inc.
“The construction of the Fairloch Lake Road is built upon a strong partnership with First Nation communities, which is central to our vision of sustainable development and shared value creation. Partnerships are not only key to Rock Tech’s progress but also to the broader growth of the EV supply chain in Canada. Alongside funding of other lithium projects in the region, this initiative will support the development of our Red Rock lithium converter and drive economic revitalization for the region.”
The government is also providing $6.1 million to Frontier Lithium Inc. to advance Indigenous engagement and engineering for a 56- kilometre all-season road and electricity infrastructure for the Pakeagama (PAK) Lithium Project in Northwestern Ontario.
Frontier Lithium Inc. President and CEO Trevor Walker thanked the government as well.
“Frontier Lithium is pleased to receive Critical Minerals Infrastructure Funding for the advancement of an all-season road and electricity infrastructure in the region of the PAK Lithium Project,” Walker said.
“This Government of Canada support reflects the importance of Indigenous engagement and collaboration in developing key infrastructure in Northwestern Ontario.”
Lastly the package would provide $771,100 to Generation PGM Inc. to undertake engineering and design work for a five-kilometre access road, as well as feasibility studies for additional road and rail links to support the movement of copper concentrates from its Marathon Project to smelters and refiners.
“The Marathon Project is one of the most advanced copper-palladium projects in Canada,” said Jamie Levy, President and Chief Executive Officer, Generation PGM Inc.
“Support from the Government of Canada’s Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund will be used to advance work on transportation infrastructure while we continue to work toward securing construction financing. With all federal approvals for construction having been obtained, and only three outstanding provincial permits expected to be granted by year-end, the work undertaken with this funding could support construction activities in 2025.”
“These five energy and transportation infrastructure development projects will benefit a critical mineral region in Northern Ontario,” said Hajdu.
“It will also improve transportation safety, reliability and access to essential services, and reinforce our government’s commitment to a net-zero future.”
Cameron Henry is the Managing Director for Green TM Resources Canada Ltd. Henry expressed thanks to those involved for the support of the company’s project.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank NRCan for the conditional approval of key infrastructure for the Seymour project,” Henry said.
“This road and bridge upgrade project is essential for advancing the mine’s development and will bring significant benefits to the local community, such as improving road safety and reducing traffic through town. Mining projects are always challenging to get off the ground, so we greatly appreciate the federal government’s support for this critical infrastructure.”
The CMIF is a key program under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy to address infrastructure gaps, enable critical minerals production and connect resources to markets through various clean energy, electrification and transportation infrastructure projects. Additional funding decisions for projects under the CMIF to further critical minerals infrastructure development are expected in the coming months.
These new critical minerals projects, alongside investments in clean energy and nuclear power that were announced earlier this year, are part of the Government of Canada’s partnership with Ontario through the Regional Energy and Resource Tables (Regional Tables). Ontario joined the Regional Tables process in 2022 as a way for the two levels of government to work closer together, and with Indigenous partners, to identify shared opportunities to seize the tremendous opportunities of the low-carbon economy. To get there, Canada and Ontario — in collaboration with Indigenous partners and with the input of key stakeholders — are finalizing a collaboration framework that will lay out joint actions that can be taken in the short and medium term to build tomorrow’s low-carbon economy. The collaboration framework will be released before the end of this year.
Critical minerals are essential components in products used for clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, electrical transmission lines and batteries. Canada’s mining sector provides many of the building blocks of clean technologies, including lithium and copper, needed to fight climate change and build a clean economy.
Across the country, clean energy solutions are providing enormous economic opportunity for Canada. The critical mineral sector is already highly valuable to our economy. In 2022, the minerals and metals sector directly employed 420,000 people and contributed $109 billion of Canada’s total gross domestic product (GDP). Since 2020, automotive and battery manufacturers have announced investments of over $40 billion in electric vehicle production and the battery supply chain. With government support and with demand for critical minerals expected to double by 2024, these sectors will only grow.
