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Critical Minerals Investments

Investments in enabling and supporting infrastructure needed to unlock critical minerals mining operations and exploration.

The CIB’s Critical Minerals investments will facilitate the construction of enabling and supporting infrastructure like access roads, clean power generation and transmission and wastewater management facilities in remote areas of Canada. Investments can unlock critical mineral development and support economic development while addressing risks which impact the ability of mining companies to raise sufficient pre-mine construction financing.

To be considered, projects must:

  • Be located in Canada
  • Involve at least one of the 31 critical minerals on Canada’s Critical Minerals List
  • Be categorized as a “Single Project” (e.g. a lithium mine or graphite processing plant that would be used by a single developer) or a “Shared Infrastructure Project” (e.g. an access road or transmission line to a region with significant mineral resource potential that could be used by multiple parties including mining companies and potentially Indigenous communities)
  • Include enabling or supporting infrastructure, like power transmission lines and substations, access roads, water/wastewater infrastructure or broadband, with a value of at least $100 million, unless the project is owned by an Indigenous community, where the value must be at least $5 million
  • Eligible costs for the investment must not exceed 50% of the public funding
Mining Association of Canada

Infrastructure, like roads, ports, access to the electrical grid and internet access, are all key components to ensuring Canada’s mining sector is able to supply the critical minerals and metals integral to the technologies that will enable the global energy transition. Greater investments in infrastructure development are essential, to advance both our industry and improve the quality of life for those living in Canada’s remote, Indigenous and northern communities, and the CIB’s Critical Minerals investments will bring much needed supports for our sector.

Pierre Gratton, President and CEO

Learn more about the Critical Minerals Investments