Global Partnerships Initiative
Advancing Canada’s global leadership on critical minerals
Canada is recognized worldwide for its leadership in responsible mining and mineral sourcing. Between 2023 and 2030, the Global Partnerships Initiative (GPI) is investing to enhance Canada’s role in building resilient, secure and sustainable critical minerals supply chains. Through international partnerships, the GPI strengthens environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, promotes traceability and examines national security concerns related to critical minerals.
The GPI provides:
- non-repayable contributions for joint research and development (R&D)
- non-repayable contributions for critical minerals development projects in Canada carried out in collaboration with international partners
- grants for activities that improve the transparency and traceability of critical minerals supply chains
- support for international organizations and projects that promote responsible resource development
The GPI is a key driver in evolving ESG standards and upholding Canada’s responsibilities under the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act.
GPI areas of focus
Market development and investment
The GPI supports improving the accuracy, transparency and usefulness of Canadian critical minerals data. It supports collaboration with international partners to advance global critical minerals data collection and sharing, and contributes to a national project inventory on Canadian minerals.
The GPI supports projects that:
- improve data survey methodologies and data sharing mechanisms
- improve online critical minerals data mapping
- develop resources and reserve data by expanding the national survey initiative
International R&D
The GPI strengthens Canada’s capacity to conduct critical minerals research collaboratively with other countries. Joint investments under the GPI with the United States serve North American advanced manufacturing, clean energy and defence sectors to achieve economic benefits on both sides of the border.
The GPI provides funding for projects that:
- help Canadian companies advance new critical minerals processing technologies through pilot and demonstration plants, in collaboration with international partners
- advance new critical minerals production technologies toward commercialization through research partnerships with other countries
- support objectives of the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative, an international collaboration between Geoscience Australia, the Geological Survey of Canada and the U.S. Geological Survey that aims to promote critical minerals discoveries in all three countries
- are part of the Centre for Resource Recovery and Recycling, an international research consortium focused on materials recovery and recycling
Canada’s international leadership
The GPI positions Canada as a global leader in the sustainable development of critical minerals supply chains by advancing its ESG commitments and leveraging its bilateral and multilateral partnerships.
The GPI enhances Canada’s global leadership by contributing to:
- the World Bank Climate-Smart Mining Initiative
- the University of British Columbia’s efforts to advance the Energy Resources Governance Initiative
- the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development
- the implementation and enforcement of the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act
- the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
- traceability initiatives (The GPI is providing grants for these initiatives.)
GPI funded projects
Fortune Minerals Ltd.
Funding of $7.5 million, with an additional investment of US$6.4 million under the United States Department of Defense’s Defense Production Act, to advance engineering and processing to ensure a reliable North American supply of bismuth, cobalt, copper and gold.
International Institute of Sustainable Development
Funding of $5.4 million to support the Institute’s ongoing role as Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development. This includes governance and technical capacity building with developing countries through outreach and promotion, Mining Policy Framework assessments, and training sessions and technical assistance.
International Energy Agency
Funding of $325,000 for an analytical research study on supply chain traceability.
University of British Columbia
Funding of $1 million to support the development and increased offering of the University’s Executive Microcertificate in Economic Leadership for Mining program to provide virtual training around the globe and in-person training to mining professionals in Chile and Argentina.
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
Funding of $325,000 to support International Secretariat activities. Contributions will be ongoing.
World Bank
Funding of $1.95 million to support the Climate-Smart Mining Initiative, which aims to decarbonize and reduce the material footprint of minerals needed for the clean energy transition and help advance the United Nations sustainable development goals.
Quartech Systems Ltd.
Grant of $55,000 under the Critical Minerals Traceability Program to enhance the interoperability of a commercial-stage application of an open-source technology to enable critical minerals supply chain traceability and create meaningful global climate action and environmental protection.
Aisimpro Inc.
Grant of $123,750 under the Critical Minerals Traceability Program to develop and implement a blockchain-powered system for critical minerals traceability and ESG measures in mining, with a specific focus on the uranium value chain.
Peer Ledger Inc.
Grant of $165,300 under the Critical Minerals Traceability Program to offer an online regulatory technology sandbox to support up to 20 critical minerals sector companies and their supply chains to deploy digital circular value chains.
Optel Group (Optel Vision Inc.)
Grant of $165,300 under the Critical Minerals Traceability Program to establish the preliminary greenhouse gases and ESG performance of a Canadian nickel-manganese-cobalt battery supply chain in a transparent and traceable manner.
Northern Block
Grant of $165,300 under the Critical Minerals Traceability Program to transform the Canadian critical minerals industry by improving the availability and value of Towards Sustainable Mining Initiative data, in partnership with the Mining Association of Canada.
Contact us
For more information about the GPI, contact the Critical Minerals Centre of Excellence, at cmce-cemc@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.