Release of Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy 2022-2027

Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy is a comprehensive, five-year roadmap that will secure the province’s position as a reliable global supplier of responsibly sourced critical minerals. 33 minerals have been identified as part of Ontario’s Critical Minerals List - including nickel, cobalt, lithium, platinum group elements and rare earth elements

The strategy focuses on six pillars:

• Enhancing geoscience information and supporting critical minerals exploration
• Growing domestic processing and creating resilient local supply chains
• Improving Ontario’s regulatory framework
• Investing in innovation, research and development
• Building economic development opportunities with Indigenous partners
• Growing labour supply and developing a skilled labour force

Consultation to develop Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy took place through the spring and summer of 2021. Roundtable discussions, engagement sessions and written comments were considered in developing this strategy. Engagement activities are summarized and included in Appendix A: Engagement summary of the strategy.

Critical minerals have a variety of strategic uses, including smartphones, batteries for EVs, pharmaceuticals and solar cells. The Critical Minerals Strategy will strengthen Ontario’s supply chains, attract new investment in the mining and manufacturing sectors and build economic development opportunities for Indigenous partners.