Advancing Canada's Critical Minerals Strategy to Strengthen Supply Chains and Global Competitiveness at PDAC 2025

TORONTO, March 5, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, concluded his participation at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada 2025 Convention in Toronto, Ontario. The Convention was an opportunity for the Government of Canada to showcase the progress made in the critical minerals sector since launching the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy in 2022. Canada is proud to highlight the momentum from various levels of government and the private sector to expand Canadian critical mineral production and exports while addressing growing demand and reducing global reliance on non-aligned countries.

At the Convention, Minister Wilkinson announced:

• Up to $50 million to advance work under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy to support infrastructure development, innovation and data collection while partnering with Indigenous communities on the engagement, participation and capacity building needed to achieve Canada's potential as a world leader in sustainable and responsibly sourced critical minerals.
• The official launch of the second CFP under the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, with over $500 million in available funding for clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects to enable the sustainable development and expansion of critical minerals production in Canada.
• A proposed extension of the 15-percent Mineral Exploration Tax Credit for investors in flow-through shares until March 31, 2027.

Together, these investments, among others, will help expand critical mineral resources in Canada, boost economic growth, reduce emissions by advancing clean technologies and advance Indigenous economic participation while creating jobs for Canadians.  

These announcements came as Minister Wilkinson also met again with his provincial and territorial counterparts to ramp up their joint efforts for supporting Canada's resource industries against the new tariffs on Canadian exports to the United States. Minister Wilkinson and his fellow provincial and territorial ministers for energy and mining agreed their Team Canada approach to U.S. protectionism must include getting good resource projects built faster while continuing to advance environmental protections and Indigenous collaboration, as well as strengthening Canada's supply chains, energy security and infrastructure and pursuing new markets, both at home and abroad. 

Through keynote addresses and participation in roundtables with industry leaders, government officials and international partners, the Minister shared Canada's vision for the critical minerals sector, highlighted the important strides we are taking to build Canada's supply chains and addressed the gaps we need to close to ensure success at home and on the world stage. The Minister participated in roundtables with industry partners where he reiterated the need to accelerate and increase Canadian production and supply of critical minerals and discussed possible solutions to trade barriers, infrastructure deficits and government supports. He highlighted the vital importance of critical minerals in national and continental security. He also met with financial institutions and industry stakeholders on attracting the capital investment needed to get projects built for the continued development of Canada's critical mineral value chains.

Minister Wilkinson met with several international partners on the margins of the Convention on Canada's critical mineral potential, expanding global market access and strengthening energy security for allied countries. Also in these discussions, he reiterated that Canada's G7 presidency will focus on demonstrating our leadership and advancing meaningful dialogue, collective action and innovative solutions for the benefit of all peoples.

Lastly, at the Convention, the Minister signed the Collaboration Arrangement on Critical Minerals and Mining Sustainability with Argentina, which aims to make mining more sustainable by improving funding tools, tax policies, environmental and social standards, technology and workforce development. In addition, the Minister met with his counterpart from the Netherlands, with whom he discussed ways to increase collaboration on critical minerals and hydrogen, with a special focus on investment opportunities to grow Canada's critical minerals market in Europe.

Global demand for critical minerals is steadily increasing as countries move assertively to secure the resources that they need to power the economy of the future — including semiconductors and processing chips, batteries and clean energy technologies, and much more. Throughout the Convention, Minister Wilkinson reiterated that Canada is the ideal country for strategic investments. Canada is uniquely positioned to be a reliable supplier for sustainable and responsibly sourced critical mineral around the world, with over 60 minerals and metals produced, including nickel, lithium, potash, aluminium, steel and uranium. By developing and expanding critical mineral value chains — from mining and processing to manufacturing and recycling — Canada can create good jobs for Canadian workers and businesses, support economic opportunities, bolster its energy security and contribute to a resilient and secure future. 

 Quotes 

"Canadian energy is poised to prosper thanks to federal investments in critical minerals and collaboration with provinces, territories, and Indigenous and industry partners. Since launching the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy in 2022, this federal government has made over $700 million in investments and catalyzed a 15% increase in the production of key critical minerals – just 5% away from our target of 20% by 2030. In tumultuous times, our mining industry has successfully risen to the challenge of strengthening our supply chains, meeting the ever-increasing international demand for critical minerals, and securing Canadian energy independence. The investments and initiatives announced at PDAC 2025 will help Canada maintain its status as a global leader in the critical minerals space, in a world where they are in greater demand than ever before – and where our future economy and national secure depends on our ability to secure our resources and market them effectively."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources 

"Canada is a mining nation, and as such is a world leader in the sustainable and responsible management of our mineral resources. As the demand for critical minerals and the clean energy and technologies they enable increases, our high environmental, social and governance standards and the expertise of our workforce will be critical advantages in the low-carbon economy of the future. And by partnering with our international allies to advocate for responsible mining practices around the world, we are ensuring that the materials we need to lower emissions and ensure a prosperous economy are sourced in a manner that protects our planet."

Marc G. Serré
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and to the Minister of Official Languages

Quick Facts 

• The annual PDAC Convention is one of the biggest mineral exploration and mining conventions in the world. This year's convention hosted over 27,000 attendees from over 135 countries from the world's mineral industry.
• During the Convention, Minister Wilkinson met with dignitaries from the Netherlands and Argentina and signed one bilateral arrangement.
• At a meeting with provincial and territorial mines ministers, Minister Wilkinson and his counterparts shared perspectives on the strategic and economic importance of critical minerals, trade and investment.
• During a Roundtable on Critical Minerals Financing with the TMX Group, Minister Wilkinson examined opportunities for greater capital investment attracting to advance the development of Canada's critical mineral value chains.
• During an Industry Roundtable on Accelerating Canadian Production and Supply, Minister Wilkinson brought industry leaders together to discuss options to facilitate increased Canadian production and supply of critical minerals, including barriers to trade, infrastructure deficits, government supports and other key pressure points.
• At the Canada-U.S. Roundtable on Critical Minerals for Defence Supply Chains, Minister Wilkinson discussed opportunities for closer Canada-U.S. collaboration on critical mineral value chains for defence applications — given that Canadian critical minerals are vital to our continental security — with U.S. government counterparts, Canadian mining executives and U.S. defence companies.
• At the 10th International Mines and Ministers Summit, organized by PDAC and the World Economic Forum, Minister Wilkinson engaged with international mines Ministers, industry and leaders from key non-governmental organizations to discuss accelerating mineral discoveries and production.

Related Products

• Investing to Make Canada a Global Critical Minerals Superpower
• Backgrounder: Investing to Make Canada a Global Critical Minerals Superpower
• Government extending support for mineral exploration in Canada
• Government of Canada to partner with Frontier Lithium Inc. to expand the production of strategic battery materials
• Fact Sheet: Canada's Critical Minerals

Associated Links

• Canada's Critical Minerals Strategy
• Programs and funding for critical minerals projects
• Tax incentives for mining and exploration

Follow us on LinkedIn

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

Contacts: Natural Resources Canada, Media Relations, 343-292-6096, [email protected]; Joanna Sivasankaran, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Canada, [email protected]