SUDBURY - Critical minerals are not just the building blocks of clean technology like solar panels and electric vehicle batteries – they are a key ingredient for creating middle class jobs and growing a strong, globally competitive Canadian economy. The move towards a global net-zero economy is generating a significant increase in demand for critical minerals around the world, but more specifically Sudbury. There is no global energy transition without accelerated activity in the critical minerals space, and Sudbury is poised to play a crucial role.

Today, Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, Northern Ontario Caucus Chair and Member of Parliamentary Natural Resources Committee, and Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Official Languages announced the release of Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy, backed by $3.8 billion in federal funding allocated in Budget 2022. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources.

The Strategy maps out how Canada can seize this generational opportunity in a way that accomplishes five key outcomes:

• Supporting economic growth, competitiveness and job creation;

• Promoting climate action and environmental protection;

• Advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples;

• Fostering diverse and inclusive workforces and communities; and

• Enhancing global security and partnership with allies.

The Strategy focuses on opportunities at every stage along the value chain for Canada’s 31 critical minerals, from exploration to recycling. It includes the prioritization of lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, copper, and rare earth elements as outlined in June’s Discussion Paper.

Critically, the Strategy outlines concrete measures to accelerate regulatory processes at the sub-national, national and international levels; to ensure meaningful and ongoing Indigenous partnership throughout the value chain; and to ensure that the Strategy is in line with Canada’s ambitious climate and nature protection goals.

The Strategy builds on work already underway within the government, including historic investments over the past year throughout the critical minerals value chain and a recent approval of a palladium mine in the critical minerals space that delivers on our key desired outcomes.