Nouveau Monde Graphite's Matawinie Mine referred to the Major Projects Office Français

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President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy

Nov 13, 2025, 18:00 ET

MONTRÉAL, Nov. 13, 2025 /CNW/ - In a rapidly changing world, we are meeting this moment and transforming our economy from one that is reliant on a single trade partner, to one that is stronger, more self-sufficient and resilient to global shocks. At the core of this, is new nation-building infrastructure: ports, mines, trade corridors, and other major projects that will unlock our vast natural resources and enable us to sell them to new markets across the country and around the world, while securing sovereign domestic supply chains.

Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy, was at Nouveau Monde Graphite's Montreal offices to highlight the Government of Canada's decision to refer the company's Matawinie Mine to the Major Projects Office (MPO).

Nouveau Monde Graphite's Matawinie Mine is part of Canada's strategy to be a powerhouse in the extraction and upgrading of critical minerals, including graphite, tungsten, copper, lithium, nickel and cobalt. It will help ensure that our critical minerals industry can flourish, and that we and our global allies can benefit from our natural resources, clean technologies and unparalleled access to global markets. It specifically addresses major gaps in Canada's graphite value chain, where domestic mining is limited and there is currently no refined graphite production.

Located near Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Québec, the Matawinie Mine is an open-pit graphite mine that will redefine global battery supply chains. It will integrate with the company's planned Bécancour Battery Material Plant to produce spherical graphite using Québec's clean hydroelectricity. This spherical graphite will then be used in the production of electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems.

This project will strengthen Canadian supply resilience, reduce dependence on carbon-intensive sources, and help accelerate the clean transition. As Canada's first integrated graphite operation and a strategic supplier to EV and defence producers, it is part of the Critical Minerals Production Alliance, a Canada-led G7 initiative.

The Nouveau Monde Graphite Matawinie Mine is expected to create over one thousand new careers and draw $1.8 billion in investment. Construction will start in the first quarter of 2026 and the mine will be in production by mid-2028.

This project is part of the second tranche of projects to build our economy, announced by the Prime Minister today. On their own, any one of these projects is transformational. As part of our broader national strategies to boost Canada's competitiveness, these initiatives will make our country more prosperous and resilient for generations to come.

Quotes

"As Canada shifts from reliance to resilience, the Matawinie Mine and the Bécancour Battery Materials Plant are the type of projects essential for our defence and economic security. By developing our critical mineral deposits, we are unleashing Canada's boundless economic potential and securing long-term prosperity for all Canadians."

--The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy

Quick facts

  • The Matawinie Mine and Bécancour Battery Materials Plant are two integrated projects by Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) that form a complete, domestic value chain for battery-grade graphite in Quebec. The mine will extract natural graphite, which will be processed into high-purity active anode material for lithium-ion batteries at the Bécancour plant. NMG is on track to become one of North America's largest fully integrated producers of natural graphite active anode material for batteries.
  • The MPO was created under the Building Canada Act, which came into force in June 2025. It was launched on August 29, 2025, under the leadership of Dawn Farrell, its first Chief Executive Officer, who brings extensive leadership experience in Canada's energy and infrastructure sectors. The MPO's work is guided by an Indigenous Advisory Council to ensure that reconciliation, partnership, and Indigenous economic participation are embedded in the way major projects are advanced in Canada.
  • In September, Canada's new government announced the first tranche of major projects – representing $60 billion in investments in nuclear power, LNG, critical minerals, and new trade corridors. We also outlined strategies – from Atlantic energy connecting wind and new transmission, to carbon capture, and high-speed rail – to drive tens of billions in further investments, while creating the conditions for a better connected, more productive, and ambitious country.
  • The first and second tranches of projects represent a combined investment of more than $116 billion in our economy and will create thousands of well-paying jobs for Canadians.

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SOURCE President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy

For more information (media only), please contact: Gabriel Brunet, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy, 819-665-6527, [email protected]; Media Relations, Privy Council Office, 613-957-5420, [email protected]

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President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy

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