October 31, 2023 Ottawa, Ontario Natural Resources Canada
Critical minerals are key enablers of clean technologies, like batteries, and clean energy sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels, which are essential to achieving a net-zero-emissions future. Canada's critical minerals sector has tremendous opportunities that remain underdeveloped. This is largely because critical minerals deposits are often located in remote areas with challenging terrain and limited access to enabling infrastructure, such as roads or grid connectivity. Canada is already a leading supplier of sustainably sourced minerals and materials and is committed to making strategic investments to reinforce our position and drive job creation and economic growth.
That is why today, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced that the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF) will begin accepting applications when it opens its first call for proposals in late fall 2023.
The CMIF will address key infrastructure gaps to enable sustainable critical minerals production and to connect resources to markets. With up to $1.5 billion available over seven years, the fund will support clean energy and transportation projects that will enable critical mineral development.
Details about the first call for proposals will be available on the Canada.ca website, providing information about how interested applicants can apply.
The CMIF is a key component of the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy and will complement other clean energy and transportation support that is already benefiting the critical minerals sector. By investing in the foundational and enabling infrastructure needed to develop critical minerals projects, Canada is helping to realize immense economic opportunities all along the value chain, from exploration and sustainable extraction to processing, advanced manufacturing and recycling, while simultaneously supporting the development of clean technologies essential to achieve a global net-zero emissions economy.
