Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program and the Global Partnerships Initiative

Expression of interest applicant guide – Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program and the Global Partnerships Initiative

Introduction

The Government of Canada has made significant investments to support the development of critical mineral projects and value chains, from mining to manufacturing to recycling. Across government, departments are developing a suite of programs that support the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy (CCMS). In an effort to drive research, innovation, and exploration, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has implemented the Critical Mineral Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) program and the Global Partnerships Initiative (GPI).

The CMRDD program supports research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects to advance pre-commercialization technologies and processes that strengthen critical mineral value chains, accelerating innovation in mining and mineral processing. As part of Canada’s 2025 G7 Presidency, the CMRDD program received a $37 million top-up in contribution funding over three years (2025–26 to 2027–28), to support delivery of the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan commitments. The new funding aims to support projects that accelerate the scale-up, commercialization, and demonstration of innovative processing and circular technologies, directly supporting the G7 Action Plan’s focus on promoting innovation and filling strategic technology gaps to advance sustainable and secure critical mineral value chains.

The GPI supports, enhances, and promotes Canada’s international leadership in critical minerals in alignment with Canada’s strategic objectives under the CCMS. GPI contribution funding invests in pre-commercial joint RD&D projects conducted in partnership with allied international partners and critical mineral development projects in Canada being co-funded by international partners. As part of Budget 2025, Canada announced $6.6 billion under the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) to strengthen Canada’s defence industry priorities, including a $50 million top-up in contribution funding for the GPI program to support joint investments with allies in Canadian critical minerals projects. The DIS emphasizes moving quickly on early strategic projects that can help secure access to defence-relevant materials, strengthen domestic and allied supply chains, and reduce exposure to geopolitical disruptions.

This applicant guide provides information on the expression of interest (EOI) with the goal of identifying suitable projects for CMRDD and GPI contribution funding projects. It includes an overview of the EOI and program objectives, eligibility, and the evaluation process for contribution funding.

Note: This EOI is not a funding opportunity. It is a screening and prioritization process to identify high-potential projects should funding become available under the CMRDD or GPI programs. Submission of an EOI does not constitute, nor guarantee, an offer of funding.

Program objectives

To support the objectives of the CCMS, the CMRDD and GPI programs support pre-commercial RD&D, pilot, demonstration, feasibility and engineering design activities that validate the feasibility, viability and reproducibility of critical mineral processing technologies.

Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) Program	Global Partnerships Initiative (GPI)
Supports accelerating the scale-up to commercialization of innovative processing and recycling technologies that fill strategic technology gaps and strengthen sustainable and secure value chains, consistent with Canada’s 2025 G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan.	GPI contribution funding supports pre-commercial joint RD&D projects conducted in partnership with allied international partners and critical mineral development projects in Canada that are co-funded by international partners.

Projects must address the following objectives:

• Validate the feasibility, viability, and reproducibility of a technology or process
• De-risk and accelerate the adoption of critical minerals technologies or processes towards commercial deployment through technology readiness level (TRL) advancement
• Strengthen domestic and allied supply chains
• Contribute to clean innovation, and coordinated international cooperation
• Secure access to defence-relevant materials (GPI focus) and
• Reduce exposure to geopolitical disruptions

Call objectives

This Call for EOI aims to identify ready-to-proceed projects in the critical minerals sector that align with the G7 Critical Minerals Action and/or the DIS and advance critical minerals projects towards commercial deployment.

All projects must be completed by March 31, 2028.

Expected outcomes

Projects funded by these programs are expected to improve the feasibility, viability, and reproducibility of upgrading critical minerals raw materials. This is accomplished through the RD&D of project technology(ies) and feasibility studies, and will support the environmental and social (for example, diversity and inclusion) aspects of their production over the baseline or conventional process routes. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Building a strong and resilient value chain focusing on sustainable mining and processing practices and innovation clusters
• Improved capital and/or operating costs of critical minerals production through innovative and improved technologies or new flow sheets that shorten conventional processing
• Effective production of critical minerals from an unconventional source, such as tailings recycled waste, slag, dross, or other secondary sources
• Reduced energy intensity, carbon intensity, or other environmental performance indicators in critical minerals processing
• Improved resource optimization and waste reduction by adopting circular economy principles including recycling, reusing, and remanufacturing the consumption of raw materials and decreasing the amount of waste generated during production processes

Projects are expected to strengthen domestic and allied supply chain resilience by advancing technologies and partnerships that secure access to strategic minerals. This includes outcomes that support industrial innovation, technology transfer, and cross-border co-investment with trusted partners.

Tracking outcomes

Funded projects will be required to report on expected outcomes to ensure that targets and objectives are met. Since outcomes may be realized only after funding has ended, provisions have been made for ongoing data collection and assessment for three (3) years following the project completion date.

Eligibility

Technology readiness level (TRL)

CMRDD/GPI contribution funding will only support proposals that advance projects in pre-commercial stages. The application must clearly demonstrate that the process or technology has a starting TRL below eight (8) and a clear path towards commercialization. The TRL must be advanced enough that the project is viable and likely to be commercially adopted. TRLs are determined at the time of the proposal submission.

Projects applying for funding must clearly identify the main objectives and activities under at least one of the following technology readiness levels:

• Foundational research and feasibility (TRL 3–5)
• Pilot and scale-up (TRL 5–7)
• Large-scale demonstration and deployment (TRL 7–9)

Targeted critical minerals list

Projects must produce or be a value-added process to advance the production of a mineral that Canada has identified as “critical” in Canada’s critical minerals list.

The priority of this EOI will focus on the following critical minerals: aluminum, antimony, bismuth, cobalt, copper, gallium, germanium, graphite, indium, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, platinum group metals, rare earth elements (REEs), scandium, titanium, tellurium, and/or tungsten.

Segment of the value chain

Projects that will be considered for funding must be classified as upstream mining-extraction to midstream processing or recycling. For the purposes of these programs, upstream mining-extraction starts at the extraction of the mineral from its ore source to feeding the beneficiation plant, including primary crushing. Midstream processing starts immediately following primary crushing, continues through the processing cycle, and ends at precursor material and element production. In the case of battery minerals, this includes, but is not limited to, crushing and grinding, mineral and chemical processing, and the production of nickel and cobalt sulphates, lithium hydroxide or carbonate, and coated spherical purified graphite. It does not include bulk ore feed sampling or mining, or multi-metal oxide manufacturing for cells and battery packs. In the case of permanent magnets, it includes crushing and grinding, mineral and chemical processing, and the production of separated rare earth metals and alloys, but not the production of permanent magnets.

Recycling and reprocessing projects are eligible. Auxiliary technologies that are used for upstream-midstream processing are also eligible.

Global partnerships (applies to the GPI only)

Projects that will be considered for funding under GPI contribution funding must have an international partner that:

• supports, enhances, and promotes Canada’s international leadership in critical minerals
• aligns with Canada’s strategic objectives under the CCMS
• contributes to increasing the supply of responsibly sourced critical minerals and
• supports the development of domestic and global value chains for the green and digital economy

The international partner(s) must contribute directly to upstream-midstream project activities.

The following partnerships are ineligible under GPI contribution funding:

• Downstream manufacturing research and development
• Offtake agreements

Note: Partnerships under negotiation or in early-stage development may be considered at the time of proposal submission. Evidence of confirmed partnership(s) will be required prior to finalizing a contribution agreement.

Eligible activities

Eligible activities under CMRDD/GPI funding include:

• Pre-feasibility and feasibility studies
• Front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies
• Testing and piloting to demonstrate technologies
• Testing and piloting auxiliary technologies that are used to support upstream-midstream processing. This may include applied research, technology development, and related science activities, including software tools, modelling, analysis, studies, assessments, protocols, standards development activities, and technology transfer activities

The following activities are ineligible under CMRDD/GPI contribution funding:

• Mining activities
• Drilling or exploration programs or studies
• Environmental characterization of waste
• Reclamation and disposal activities
• Sampling or source feed acquisition (whether by going to the field and obtaining a sample or by purchasing), although consideration will be given to the costs of preparing the feed

Eligible recipients

Eligible funding recipients may include:

1. Canadian recipients who are:

   • Legal entities validly incorporated or registered in Canada, including:

     • For-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as, but not limited to, companies, industry associations, research associations, and standards organizations
     • Community groups and
     • Academic institutions
   • Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies where applicable
   • Indigenous recipients, including:
     • Indigenous communities or governments
     • Tribal Councils or entities that fulfill a similar function (for example, general council)
     • National and regional Indigenous councils, and tribal organizations
     • Indigenous for-profit and not-for-profit organizations (majority owned and controlled by Indigenous people) and
     • Members of Indigenous groups with community knowledge, Indigenous traditional knowledge, or input relevant to current policy discussions

     For the purpose of this document, the term “Indigenous” is understood to include Inuit, Métis, First Nations, individuals registered as Status Indians, and non-Status Indian individuals, or any combination thereof

2. International recipients (under the GPI only) who are:
   • Eligible international recipients that include:
     • Treaty organizations and other international legal entities validly incorporated or registered abroad, including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as intergovernmental organizations, international industry associations, agencies, research associations, and standards organizations
   • Other legal entities validly incorporated or registered abroad, for the purpose of demonstrating Canadian critical minerals technologies applied abroad, including:
     • For-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as, but not limited to, companies, industry associations, research associations, and standards organizations
     • Community groups
     • Academic institutions

Eligible project location

CMRDD: Technology solutions can originate from anywhere on the globe, but must be tested, piloted and/or demonstrated in Canada.

GPI: Joint R&D projects can be in Canada or abroad in partnership with allied countries. Critical minerals development projects must be in Canada; however, vertical integration (i.e., feed sourcing, piloting, downstream processing, etcetera) may occur abroad.

Eligible expenditures

Eligible expenditures for an approved project must be directly related to, and necessary for, the implementation and conduct of a project, and could include some or all of the following items:

• Salaries and benefits for employees on the payroll of the recipient for the time the employees are working on the project
• Professional, scientific, technical, and contracting services
• Training, workshops, and facility costs for seminars, conference room rentals, etcetera
• Travel expenditures, including meals and accommodations, based on National Joint Council rates
• Capital expenditures such as the purchase, installation, testing, and commissioning of qualifying equipment, materials, and products, including diagnostic testing tools and instruments and original equipment manufacturer equipment warranties (including extended warranties deemed appropriate to mitigate risk and lack of capacity)
• Other expenses, including:
  • Laboratory and field supplies and materials
  • Routine laboratory and field equipment maintenance, based on the actual expenditure to a recipient
  • Field testing services
  • Data collection services, including processing, analysis, and management
  • Construction insurance, licence fees, and permits
  • Accreditation
  • Printing services and translation
• When the recipient is an Indigenous organization, other expenses may include:
  • Costs associated with an Indigenous ceremony (excluding hospitality)
  • Honoraria for Elders

• Overhead expenditures, provided they are directly related to the implementation of the project and can be attributed to it. Overhead expenditures can be included in the total project costs to a maximum of 15% of eligible expenditures (based on the total approved CMRDD or GPI contribution).

  Overhead expenditures include:

  • Administrative and corporate support provided directly to the project by the recipient’s employees, valued on the same basis as professional staff time
  • Office operating expenses directly related to the implementation of the project (for example, telephone, photocopies)

  A predetermined overhead percentage may be set and subsequently applied to each claim to avoid unnecessary administrative burden to funding recipients. The percentage will be based on evidence provided by the recipient of expected overhead expenditures at the time of negotiating a contribution agreement.

• GST, PST, or HST net of any tax rebate to which the recipient is entitled

Funding terms

CMRDD/GPI contribution funding will provide non-repayable contributions for eligible projects. Contribution funding may pay up to 100% of total project costs for recipients. Although the CMRDD/GPI may pay up to 100% of total project costs, in the case of projects conducted by for-profit recipients, recipients are expected to contribute 25 to 50% of the total project cost. NRCan will determine the contribution amount based on:

• The minimum amount required for project success
• Alignment with program objectives and
• Available program resources

CMRDD/GPI contribution funding will consider the total project costs to be eligible from the conditional approval of the project up to March 31, 2028, or the project end date, whichever is earlier. Project-related costs incurred or paid by the applicant before the date a proposal is conditionally approved may not be considered as the applicant’s contribution to the total project costs according to the terms and conditions of the contribution agreement.

Stacking provisions

The maximum level (stacking limit) of total Canadian government funding (i.e., federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal) for a project will not exceed 100% for all recipients. To ensure the stacking provisions are respected, proponents will be required to disclose all sources of project funding, including those from other federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal measures and incentives (including implicit subsidies, rebates, forgivable loans, scientific research and experimental development [SR&ED] tax credits, etcetera).

Submission details

Submission process

NRCan is committed to a consistent, fair, and transparent project selection process to identify, select, and allocate funding to projects that best fit CMRDD and GPI contribution funding objectives.

The EOI form must be submitted via the applicant portal.

Note: Submission of an EOI will not represent a funding commitment from CMRDD/GPI contribution funding programs. The purpose of this EOI is to help NRCan identify and prioritize projects in anticipation of future program funding availability. Only projects that best align with program objectives will be invited to submit a full proposal if and when funding is available.

The EOI form submission will be assessed for both CMRDD and GPI programs and NRCan will select the most suitable program for the project. Selected projects will be invited to submit a full project proposal (FPP) to either the CMRDD or GPI contribution funding program and a program applicant guide will be provided then. This guide will provide the required information to prepare the proposal. Each proposal will be assessed based on the evaluation criteria provided in the program applicant guide and only the projects that best align with the CMRDD or GPI contribution funding objectives will be selected.

Submitted proposals will undergo a comprehensive review based on technical merit, alignment with program objectives, feasibility, and potential impact. Projects that meet the evaluation criteria will proceed to funding approval, subject to available resources and strategic priorities. Approved projects will enter into a formal contribution agreement specifying the terms, conditions, and reporting requirements.

Evaluation

The EOI seeks to obtain information about these specific areas:

• Project readiness
• Technical advancement and how it benefits the priority value chains
• Alignment with the call objectives
• Proposed project objectives, activities, and metrics
• Expected outcomes
• Financial review
• Partnerships and collaboration

Methodology

Each proposal will be evaluated based on its alignment with the CCMS and the objectives of the respective program. Projects that are both ready to proceed and are strongly aligned with strategic priorities—including allied cooperation, national security needs, secure supply chain development, and dual-use or defence-relevant technologies—may be prioritized.

Each proposal will be assessed using the evaluation criteria below to determine how well it aligns with overarching objectives.

Evaluation criteria for the EOI

Project impacts

Technology strength and innovation

Evaluation of the proposal based on the technical merit of the project: Does the project demonstrate a net new industrial or technology capability for Canada? Will the success of this project advance the technology?

Economic and social impacts

Evaluation of the economic and social impacts, and the benefits identified by the applicant: Is there a clear benefit to stakeholders? Does the project strengthen Canada’s role in secure and resilient allied supply chains, or contribute to technologies serving both strategic and commercial markets? Is there private sector investment? (Funding should complement private sector capital, not compete with it.)

Project vision

Project advancement

Evaluation of the clarity and logic of the plan to advance the project towards commercialization once the proposed project is complete (more specifically, evaluation of the ability to advance the overall project and input critical minerals into the priority value chains): Is there a reasonable description of opportunities for future uptake and replication within Canada? Is the scale-up strategy to commercialize the process or technology viable?

Project plan and partners

Statement of work	Evaluation of the detailed proposed work plan: Are the objectives of the proposed project clearly identified? How can project objectives be met and what metrics (key performance indicators) will be used to assess the success of the project?
Budget	Evaluation of the proposed budget for the project: Is the funding requested from the CMRDD/GPI contribution funding reasonable for the proposed project? Is the contribution from the applicant reasonable? Has the applicant secured (or partially secured) co-funding?
Project team	Evaluation of the identified project team members: Does the primary project manager have the applicable expertise required to effectively lead the project? Does the identified core team for the project have the technical expertise or other applicable expertise to help bring this project to successful completion?
Project partners and collaborators	Evaluation of the identified team members and partners in the project: Are the partners logical and reasonable collaborators that will strengthen the project? What is the status of each partnership: confirmed, under negotiation, or potential? Why is the partnership(s) important to the success of the project? What is the global partner(s) contributing to the project? (GPI only) Does the global partner(s) promote ESG standards and do its practices align with Canadian values? (GPI only)

EOI quality

The EOI evaluation process is competitive and only the highest quality projects will be invited to provide a full project proposal. In this regard, “quality” means the merits of the EOI in terms of potential positive impacts based on the evaluation criteria, how well the EOI clearly and fully addresses these criteria, and how well the project aligns with the identified priority areas of focus.

It is the responsibility of each applicant to communicate the merits of the proposed project through the responses provided in the EOI form.

Expression of interest form

All EOI forms must be submitted via the applicant portal.

Applicant information

About the organization

• Legal name
• Head office address
• Type of organization (privately held or publicly traded)
• Parent company (name and country)
• Province/territory of incorporation or registration
• Date of incorporation
• Preferred language for written communication
• Number of employees in the organization at time of application
• Number of jobs the project is expected to create
• Organizational description (200 words maximum)
  • Include a description of what the applicant does (for example, industry, products, service offering)
  • Indicate whether the applicant is a wholly owned subsidiary and provide information on the parent company (for example, name, industry, location)
  • If the applicant is not a wholly owned subsidiary, identify who the majority shareholders are (include a capitalization table as an attachment, if applicable)

Key contacts

• Primary contact
• Alternative contact
• Financial contact

Initial project information

• Project title (eight words maximum)
• Project location
• Type of critical minerals
• Key value chain(s)
• Start date
• End date

Financial information

• Total funding requested from NRCan
• Applicant’s cash funding
• Other sources of funding
• Total cost of the project

Project summary

Project objective (150 words maximum)

• Present the project’s objective, including the critical minerals targeted, technical advances, benefits for priority value chains, and how it aligns with the call’s objectives. (about 150 words – maximum 1,200 characters)

Project description (700 words maximum)

• Provide a description of how the proposed objectives will be met and what metrics will be used to assess the success of the project.
• Clearly state specific details about the proposed project, such as the source and quantity of feed materials, the scale (capacity), the duration of the project, the proposed work phases, and the key tasks to be completed. (about 700 words – maximum 5,150 characters)

Project status (500 words maximum)

• Describe the status of the project, including relevant timelines.
• Is the project ready to start at the time of application?
• If the project does not advance within the next 6 months, what will be the impact?

Technology readiness level (TRL)

Current TRL (1000 words maximum)

• Clearly demonstrate and justify the current project TRL by providing the necessary information to evaluate the level of maturity of the technology, including previous test work (such as bench scale, optimization, pilots). Provide a brief description of the process and/or technology, including the unit operations and target product(s). Reference other sources or third-party work that demonstrate results and support the TRL claim.

Target TRL (100 words maximum)

• Identify and describe your justification of the target TRL

Expected outcomes (500 words maximum)

• Identify the expected outcomes upon project completion, including the target and potential recipients.
• Describe opportunities for future uptake and replication within Canada, including any environmental, societal, and economic benefits this project may generate for stakeholders.
• Outline the scale-up strategy to commercialize the process or technology, demonstrating the significance of this project within this strategy.

Financial justification (150 words maximum)

• Describe why NRCan funding is required and how the funding would enable the success of the project.
• Describe how the project would be affected if NRCan could only provide a portion of the requested amount.
• Describe the support of senior management in the applicant organization.

Key project team (200 words maximum)

• List the key project team members committed to the project. Describe the experience, education, background, and project role of the project manager (1) and core team members (up to 5).

Key partners and collaborators (200 words maximum)

• List all key partnerships, collaborations, and stakeholders contributing to the project.
• Describe the importance, experience, capability, and capacity of any key collaborators and partners, including financial contributors, that will be involved in the project.
• Indicate the nature of the partnership by providing the type and status.
• Note that partnerships related to offtake and downstream product development are not eligible but should be included to support the project application.

Appendix A — Technology readiness level (TRL)

TRL is a measure used to assess the maturity of evolving technologies (for example, devices, materials, components, software, work processes) during their development and, in some cases, during early operations. Generally, when new technologies are first invented or conceptualized, they are not suitable for immediate application. Instead, new technologies are usually subjected to experimentation, refinement, and increasingly realistic testing. Once the technology is sufficiently proven, it can be incorporated into a system or subsystem.

The lowest level (TRL 1) indicates that information already learned from basic scientific research is taking its first step from an idea to a practical application of a lesson learned. For example, after learning that hydrogen and oxygen can be combined to generate electricity, some would suggest an idea for building a machine to do just that.

A technology that has achieved TRL 9 is one that has been incorporated fully into a larger system. It has been proven to work smoothly and is considered operational. An example of an operational TRL 9 technology is the fuel cells that combine hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity for NASA’s space shuttle.

TRL descriptions

Level 1: Basic principles of concept are observed and reported

Scientific research begins to be translated into applied research and development. Activities might include paper studies of a technology's basic properties.

Level 2: Technology concept and/or application formulated

Invention begins. Once basic principles are observed, practical applications can be invented. Activities are limited to analytic studies.

Level 3: Analytical and experimental critical function and/or proof of concept

Active research and development is initiated. This includes analytical studies and/or laboratory studies. Activities might include components that are not yet integrated or representative.

Level 4: Component and/or validation in a laboratory environment

Basic technological components are integrated to establish that they will work together. Activities include integration of "ad hoc" hardware in the laboratory.

Level 5: Component and/or validation in a simulated environment

The basic technological components are integrated for testing in a simulated environment. Activities include laboratory integration of components.

Level 6: System/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a simulated environment

A model or prototype that represents a near desired configuration. Activities include testing in a simulated operational environment or laboratory.

Level 7: Prototype ready for demonstration in an appropriate operational environment

Prototype at planned operational level and is ready for demonstration in an operational environment. Activities include prototype field testing.

Level 8: Actual technology completed and qualified through tests and demonstrations

Technology has been proven to work in its final form and under expected conditions. Activities include developmental testing and evaluation of whether it will meet operational requirements.

Level 9: Actual technology proven through successful deployment in an operational setting

Actual application of the technology in its final form and under real-life conditions, such as those encountered in operational tests and evaluations. Activities include using the innovation under operational conditions.