Minister Joly announces federal investments backing Canadian mining innovations to strengthen critical minerals supply chains and improve mine restoration
News release
Projects will help advance precision mining and AI-powered ecological restoration technologies
July 9, 2026 – Sudbury, Ontario
Canada’s economic security, clean technology ambitions and industrial competitiveness depend on reliable access to critical minerals.
Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, accompanied by Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, and by Rhonda Barnet, interim CEO of Canada’s Digital Technology Cluster (DIGITAL), announced federal support of $6.7 million for two Canadian-led mining innovation projects, valued at $19.8 million, that will help advance more precise critical minerals extraction and improve ecological restoration monitoring across the mining sector. Canada has the resources to build and innovate here at home, turning our natural advantages into economic opportunities for workers and industry.
The projects, led by Novamera Inc. of Oakville, Ontario, and Koonkie Canada Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia, will accelerate the development and adoption of Canadian technologies that support responsible resource development while strengthening Canada’s critical minerals supply chains. The investments will help move innovative solutions from development to real-world deployment, creating opportunities for Canadian companies to commercialize and scale their technologies.
Novamera will receive $3.8 million from DIGITAL toward a $10.9 million project to advance its Surgical Mining technology, which combines advanced subsurface imaging, artificial intelligence, robotics and conventional drilling equipment to access critical mineral deposits with greater precision. Koonkie will receive $2.9 million toward an $8.9 million project to develop an AI-powered platform that integrates environmental DNA analysis, soil health data, remote sensing and Indigenous ecological knowledge to support ecological restoration and biodiversity monitoring at mine sites.
Canada has what the world needs to meet the demands of the future. By helping build up Canada’s critical minerals production and advance clean technologies, these investments will strengthen our industrial competitiveness, bolster our economic security and support jobs across the country.
Quotes
“Canada has what the world needs to power the economy of the future, and we have the talent and ingenuity to turn those advantages into made-in-Canada solutions. These investments will help Canadian companies develop and deploy cutting-edge technologies that make critical minerals extraction more precise, advance responsible resource development and improve mine restoration. By backing Canadian innovation, we are building stronger critical minerals supply chains, creating good jobs and positioning Canada as a global leader in the industries that will drive growth for decades to come.”
– The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
“Supporting Canadian innovation means supporting the future of Canada's mining sector. New technologies that make mining more precise and more sustainable will strengthen our critical mineral supply chains, help Canadian companies compete globally, and build on the expertise that communities like Sudbury have contributed to this industry for generations.”
– Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury
“Canada’s economic security depends on getting more Canadian innovations into the hands of the industries that need them most. These innovations demonstrate how Government of Canada investments, delivered through DIGITAL, are helping Canadian companies develop, deploy, and scale made-in-Canada technologies that strengthen critical mineral production, improve productivity, and support responsible resource development. That’s the role DIGITAL was created to play—connecting technology builders with industry partners to accelerate commercialization, adoption, and long-term economic impact.”
– Rhonda Barnet, interim CEO, DIGITAL
Quick facts
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The projects, which are being supported by the Government of Canada’s investment in DIGITAL, are expected to create as many as 35 jobs and maintain as many as 37 jobs.
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The Government of Canada has co-invested over $3 billion in the Global Innovation Clusters program alongside industry, leveraging collaboration to build innovation ecosystems and to accelerate innovation.
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The clusters are estimated to have supported the creation of 34,958 full-time equivalent jobs and are forecasted to create or sustain 83,368 jobs by 2028–2029.
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Novamera’s technology focuses on improving access to deposits containing critical minerals such as copper and rare earth elements.
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Project partners expect that Koonkie’s platform could shorten ecological restoration timelines by five to ten years and reduce restoration costs by up to 40% compared with legacy methods.
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Contacts
Gabrielle Landry
Deputy Director, Media Relations
Office of the Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
gabrielle.landry@ised-isde.gc.ca
Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
media@ised-isde.gc.ca
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