On behalf of Vale, its 119…

On behalf of Vale, its 119-year history in the Province, and the 11,500 jobs that Vale sustains in the Province of Ontario, we welcome the opportunity to comment on the Critical Minerals Framework Discussion Paper.

Over the past decade, we have invested over $25.3 billion to sustain and grow our Ontario operations. Vale’s contribution to Ontario’s GDP over the past decade has exceeded $30.8 billion. We are proud to be an anchor industry and employment generator in the Sudbury and Port Colborne communities and we look forward to continued decades of employment and shared benefits with our Indigenous rightsholders and stakeholders.

Vale has a substantial profile in the production of identified critical minerals throughout its Ontario and Canadian portfolio. In 2020, Vale produced 89,600 tons of nickel representing roughly 50% of the country’s nickel output and 99,600 tons of copper, which represents roughly 20% of Canada’s copper output. Regarding other prominent critical minerals for the low carbon economy - Vale Canada produced over 2,100 tons of cobalt as well as 140,000 troy ounces of platinum and 186,000 troy ounces of palladium in 2020.

Vale has identified multiple areas within the Discussion Paper where there is alignment with the Government of Ontario and Vale’s purpose and our shared ambitions to improve life and transform the future. The company appreciates the opportunity to provide comments and feedback on the discussion paper and looks forward to future interactions on this subject matter.