Critical minerals represent a generational opportunity for Canada’s workers, economy, and netzero future. They are the foundation on which modern technology is built. From solar panels to semiconductors, wind turbines to advanced batteries for storage and transportation, the world needs critical minerals to build these products.
Simply put, there is no energy transition without critical minerals, which is why their supply chain resilience has become an increasing priority for advanced
economies. By growing Canadian expertise at every point along the critical mineral value chain — from mining to manufacturing to recycling — we will create good jobs, build a strong, globally competitive Canadian economy, and take real action to fight climate change. As a result of this strategy, we will also better position Canada as a reliable supplier of critical mineral resources to our allies.
The global demand for critical minerals and the manufactured products they go into is required to increase significantly in the coming decades to enable transition to a green and digital economy. Current forecasts show supply deficits if critical mineral production, processing and recycling are not increased. At the same time, the production and processing of many critical minerals are geographically concentrated, making supply vulnerable to economic, geopolitical, environmental, and other risks.
With its vast resources and manufacturing capacity, Canada is well positioned to become a secure and reliable supplier of critical minerals and value-added products for global markets. Growing our supply of critical minerals and the products they go into presents a generational opportunity with domestic and global benefits. To fully seize this opportunity, we must ensure that value is added to the entire supply chain, including exploration, extraction, intermediate processing, advanced manufacturing, and recycling.
We must create the necessary conditions for Canadian companies to grow, scale-up, and expand globally in markets that depend on critical minerals. Our efforts must be consistent with Canada’s priorities and objectives including environmental protection and conservation, safe and responsible labour practices, and respect for the rights of Indigenous peoples.
By growing and building our expertise at each point along the critical mineral supply chain, Canada can grow its economy from coast to coast to coast, fight climate change at home and around the world, and improve the resiliency of our supply chain and those of our allies to future disruptions. Importantly, this must be done in a way that advances the Government of Canada’s commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples through meaningful consultation, early and ongoing engagement, investments in capacity supports, environmental stewardship, community safety, and economic opportunities for Indigenous peoples.
In addition, critical mineral development needs to be sustainable and create nature-forward outcomes with minimal environmental footprint and leading-edge conservation and reclamation practices (i.e., mine closure). A “nature forward” approach to critical minerals development and sourcing means incorporating practices that work to prevent biodiversity loss, protect species at risk , and support nature protection. Innovative ways to capture value from alternative sources and waste streams, recycling technologies, and traditional Indigenous conservation practices are all examples of “nature
forward” solutions.
The Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy will empower businesses, workers, and communities across Canada to seize this generational opportunity. Accelerating the development of Canada’s critical mineral sector, while ensuring environmental sustainability and respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples, is essential if Canada is to seize upon this generational opportunity and position itself as a stable supplier of critical minerals, both at home and abroad.
The growing global demand for critical minerals represents a generational opportunity for Canada. Critical minerals are the foundation on which modern technology is built. Simply put, there is no green energy transition without critical minerals, which is why their supply chain resilience is an increasing priority for advanced economies. Every stage of the critical mineral value chain presents an opportunity for Canada, from exploration to recycling and everything in between.
Canada’s approach to critical minerals builds on extensive public and Indigenous consultations, including comments received on the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy Discussion Paper (from June 14 to September 16, 2022), as well as consultations held for the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan (CMMP). In addition, evidence and recommendations were considered from a series of engagements and roundtables with industry and Indigenous peoples, as well as recommendations included in the June 2021 report of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Natural Resources, From Mineral Exploration to Advanced Manufacturing: Developing Value Chains for Critical Minerals in Canada, and the March 2022 report of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology, The Neo Lithium Acquisition: Canada’s National Security Review Process in Action. This Strategy is intended to be an evergreen document — forward-looking, iterative, and long-term.
Its successful implementation will require a coordinated and multi-pronged approach, in collaboration with multiple partners and stakeholders. The following strategic partnerships and engagement forums will help inform implementation of the Strategy over the long term:
- Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Task Team on Critical Minerals and Battery Value Chains;
- Ongoing engagement with Indigenous peoples via roundtables, workshops, and meetings on Indigenous priorities related to critical mineral value chains and other cross-cutting topics (e.g., the National Benefit Sharing Framework;
- Northern Regulatory Initiative Engagement;
- Regional Energy and Resource Tables;
- Industry Critical Minerals Roundtables;
- Canada-U.S. Joint Action Plan on Critical Minerals Collaboration;
- Critical Minerals Working Group under the Canada-Japan Energy Policy Dialogue;
- Canada-EU Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials;
- Government of Canada FDI Working Group.
The CMCE will continue to lead Canada’s whole-of-government, multi-stakeholder approach to critical mineral development, including the ongoing development and coordination of policies and initiatives under this Strategy. Ongoing engagement with partners and stakeholders will inform future iterations of this evergreen document.
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