THUNDER BAY – Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the trip to Lac Des Illes Mine, north of Thunder Bay, on Thursday to announce Ontario’s first-ever Critical Minerals Strategy.
The Critical Minerals Strategy is a five-year roadmap that the province intends to use to better connect the mines in the north with the manufacturing sector in the south, particularly to Ontario-based electric vehicle and battery manufacturing, and to tap into new and growing markets, including electric vehicles(EVs), batteries, telecommunications and national defense, as well as to secure Ontario’s place in the global supply chain.
The strategy focuses on six priorities:
- Enhancing geoscience information and supporting critical minerals exploration
- Growing domestic processing and creating resilient local supply chains
- Improving the regulatory framework to make the mining industry more globally competitive
- Investing in innovation, research and development
- Building economic development opportunities with Indigenous partners
- Growing labour supply and developing a skilled labour force
Ontario’s critical minerals list has identified 33 critical minerals including nickel, cobalt, lithium, platinum group elements and rare earth elements.
Ontario’s supply of critical minerals, processing capabilities and proximity to North American manufacturing hubs makes the province an ideal place for mineral exploration and investment according to the province.
“We believe there is an incredible opportunity to connect our northern and southern economies to build a made-in-Ontario supply chain for emerging technologies such as EVs,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry.
“Our government is building an advanced manufacturing supply chain that will create economic opportunities for Ontarians across the province, including Indigenous communities. We want the world to know that Ontario is ready to supply our allies with a reliable source of critical minerals.”
Ontario is investing $24 million over three years in Ontario’s Junior Exploration Program, which includes $12 million for a critical minerals funding stream.
The province is also investing $5 million over two years in a new critical minerals innovation fund that will support research for extraction and processing in the north.
The province says its environmental, social and governance standards make it the perfect destination for environmentally responsible investors and that Ontario is ready to benefit from the global shift to a cleaner economy.
In 2020, Ontario produced approximately $3.5 billion worth of critical minerals and critical minerals that have a variety of strategic uses, including smartphones, batteries for EVs, pharmaceuticals, and solar cells.
The mining sector accounts for approximately 75,000 jobs in Ontario and mining is recognized as having one of the highest proportions of Indigenous workers of all industries in the province, at 11 per cent.
"We applaud the government’s Critical Mineral Framework as it recognizes the significant mining potential of Northwestern Ontario and it will strengthen Ontario’s competitiveness in the global markets. Our Lac des Iles Mine is one of only two known palladium deposits in North America and delivers 30 per cent of all palladium produced in Canada,” said Tim Hill, CEO of Impala Canada.
“Palladium has critical industrial, technological, and strategic applications and, as a key component required for pollution control of gasoline-powered vehicles, is instrumental to our transition toward a low carbon economy."
