Canada secures 30 new critical minerals partnerships and unlocks $12.1 billion in mining project capital

On March 2, 2026, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, joined industry and international partners to announce the second round of partnerships and investments under the Critical Minerals Production Alliance. The Alliance mobilizes capital, international cooperation and policy coordination to advance priority projects and get more minerals from reliable, trusted allies to markets.

This second round of 30 new partnerships and investments will unlock $12.1 billion in critical minerals projects with 12 allied partners. Combined with the investments and partnerships announced in October 2025, the Critical Minerals Production Alliance is now helping to mobilize $18.5 billion in Canadian critical minerals projects. These projects will strengthen supply chains, support economic growth and reduce strategic vulnerabilities. 

The announced strategic partnerships and investments include:

• Regen Resources Recovery Corporation’s flagship brownfield-revitalized synthetic graphite project in Welland, Ontario, with a strategic alliance with Linamar. Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is working to expedite and streamline required approvals for this project where possible while maintaining strong environmental oversight.
• Regeneration’s metal extraction and site restoration project in Hedley, British Columbia, with a commitment to work toward an investment of up to $15 million from Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) and with offtake agreements and corporate partnerships with Apple (United States) and the fine-jewelry company, Mejuri (Canada). This project has strong alignment with local First Nations’ environmental stewardship and economic development objectives.
• Frontier Lithium’s lithium processing facility, based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with a conditionally approved investment of $2.3 million through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative to develop treatment options to support the valorization of its by-products. Frontier Lithium also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Panasonic Energy (Japan) for future lithium offtake from the refinery in support of developing a secure, localized North American battery supply chain. Frontier Lithium’s PAK Lithium project was the first to move forward under Ontario’s “One Project, One Process” framework.
• Rock Tech Lithium’s Red Rock Converter Project in Ontario, supported by a strategic partnership and technology collaboration under a Memorandum of Understanding with Siemens Canada, advances Canada’s ability to build secure, domestic lithium conversion infrastructure.
• Greenland Resources’ Malmbjerg Project in Greenland, with a conditionally approved investment of up to $7 million through NRCan’s Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration program and a binding US$2 billion 10-year offtake agreement with Outokumpu (Finland). Greenland Resources has previously signed Memorandums of Understanding for long-term supply with companies in Germany, Italy, Austria, Denmark, Belgium and Sweden and received a Financing Letter of Intent for up to US$275 million debt facility from Export Development Canada, as well as Finnvera (Finland), EKN (Sweden), EIFO (Denmark) and BMO as financial advisors. Greenland Resources has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nuna Group Companies, a Canadian-majority, Inuit-owned, world-class civil construction company, for the construction and commissioning of the infrastructure at the Malmbjerg Project.  
• Cyclic Materials Inc.’s rare earth elements recycling Centre of Excellence in Kingston, Ontario, with a conditionally approved investment of up to $9.1 million through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative. This is in addition to a recent equity investment of US$25 million from the Canada Growth Fund. The company has secured commercial agreements globally, including the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding with Neo Performance Materials.
• First Phosphate’s Bégin-Lamarche demonstration and feasibility project to produce LFP-CAM quality phosphorous in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, with a conditionally approved investment of $16.7 million through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative and support from Belgian institutions and authorities.

These strategic announcements build upon new critical minerals collaboration with allies:

• This week, during Prime Minister Carney’s bilateral visit to India, Canada and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Critical Minerals Collaboration, aiming to enhance trade and investment and support exchanges of policies, regulations, best practices and ESG standards.
• Canada and the European Union signed a Joint Declaration on Critical Minerals Collaboration, aiming to strengthen co-operation and multilateralism in support of secure supply chains, bilateral investment and trade, industrial competitiveness and sustainable growth.
• The European Investment Bank signed a Letter of Intent to negotiate an agreement with Canada that will pave the way toward co-operation on projects in Canada and abroad.
• Canada and Greenland signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on Natural Resources Collaboration to enhance collaboration on energy and mining.
• Canada and Leonardo (Italy) have committed to establishing a working group on Supply of Raw Materials.

Minister Hodgson also highlighted up to $64.8 million for research and development projects with international partners as well as $10 million to support developing countries in benefiting from the global energy and digital transition. These initiatives are focused on strengthening supply chain resilience, reducing emissions and advancing diversified production and processing. These projects include:

• MacLean Engineering, based in Collingwood, Ontario, with an investment of $2.5 million through NRCan’s Energy Innovation Program’s Mining Decarbonization Demonstration Call, to support the design and development of the MacLean GR8 EV Graders for mining operations in Canada and the broader mining industry, commencing with Fortescue in Western Australia. NRCan’s investment will help advance the commercialization of the MacLean GR8 EV Grader, a novel Canadian clean technology product with global applications across the surface mining.
• Scandium Canada’s Crater Lake Project in Nunavik, Quebec, with a funding agreement of up to $6.9 million through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative. Scandium Canada is leading this project in collaboration with Gränges (Germany) as a research partner and NPM Silmet (Estonia) as a potential offtake partner.
• Rio Tinto’s gallium extraction research and development project in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, with a conditionally approved investment of $18.9 million through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative. Rio Tinto is leading this project in collaboration with Indium Corporation (United States).
• E3 Lithium’s Clearwater Project near Olds, Alberta, with a conditionally approved investment of up to $36.5 million through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative. E3 Lithium is leading this project in collaboration with Axens Group (France), ABB (Switzerland) and Solvay (Belgium).
• The International Institute for Sustainable Development, with a grant, delivered through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative, of up to $5 million to further support core activities of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) to provide in-country policy assessments, tailored technical assistance for high-impact areas and practical guidance to strengthen mining governance globally. The initiative will support analytical work on critical mineral value chains and the convening of governments, industry and civil society, including from its 86 member countries.
• The International Institute for Sustainable Development, with a Minerals Skills Network Grant, delivered through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative, of up to $1.15 million to build institutional and professional capacity, promote global collaboration, encourage continuous learning and peer exchange and further establish the IGF as a leading global convenor in mining governance.
• The University of British Columbia’s Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining (BRIMM), with a Minerals Skills Network Grant, delivered through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative, of up to $1.99 million to strengthen Canada’s role in South and Central America.
• The University of Toronto, with a Minerals Skills Network Grant, delivered through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative, of up to $984,400 to expand a specialized training program in mining economics and finance with an emphasis on ESG standards.
• The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, with a Minerals Skills Network Grant, delivered through NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative, of up to $865,544 to create and deliver a hybrid modular course for technical, operational, political and prospective capabilities that provides a conceptual, analytical and practical framework to equip participants with the expertise required to address issues surrounding critical minerals in Latin America and the Caribbean, key mining partners for Canada.