British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a framework for cooperation toward a Western Canadian critical mineral strategy.
“Together, we can advance a robust critical mineral value chain in Western and Northern Canada that accesses new export markets, increases trade opportunities, creates jobs and brings in investment across the region,” said Jagrup Brar, BC minister of mining and critical minerals, in a news release from the provincial government.
Through the MOU, Canada’s western and northern regions seek to:
- Promote Western Canada as a global hub for critical minerals innovation, responsibly sourced supply, and sustainable development
- Prioritize regional critical mineral hubs
- Identify the infrastructure planning and investment to maximize mineral extraction, processing, and export capacity
- Advance reconciliation
- Offer opportunities for Indigenous leadership partnership, participation, or ownership in developing critical minerals
According to the news release, the MOU also aims to hasten development, take advantage of regional strengths, align infrastructure investments, diversify export markets, and strengthen supply chains.
“Working together allows us to attract investment, grow supply chains and create good jobs, while partnering meaningfully with Indigenous nations to ensure development is inclusive, responsible and delivers shared economic benefits,” said Jamie Moses, Manitoba minister of business, mining, trade, and job creation.
“Saskatchewan looks forward to working together to strengthen supply chains and to build and expand priority infrastructure that will get critical minerals from our province to export markets more efficiently,” added Chris Beaudry, Saskatchewan minister of energy and resources.
The participating provinces and territories expect to publish their final strategy in June, in time for this year’s energy and mining ministers conference.
Ministers’ summit
In Vancouver on Jan. 25, the western and northern Canadian ministers responsible for critical minerals met at a first-of-its-kind summit. Indigenous, industry, and investment leaders attended the summit, which included a roundtable discussion and presentations. The ministers then signed the MOU.
“This MOU builds on the western premiers’ work to advance economic corridors, and it sets a clear direction for how we will work together to strengthen Canada’s role as a reliable global partner in critical minerals,” said Brian Jean, Alberta minister of energy and minerals, in the news release.
“This work includes creating an electricity corridor for communities and mines in Canada’s northwest,” added Ted Laking, Yukon’s minister of energy, mines, and resources. “A Yukon-B.C. transmission line would power thousands of Canadian jobs, while reducing diesel reliance and strengthening the Yukon’s energy security.”
Western and northern resources
BC’s news release called attention to Western and Northern Canada’s wealth of critical minerals.
- BC, the country’s biggest copper producer and only molybdenum producer, hosts one of the largest fully integrated zinc refining complexes in the world
- Alberta operates refineries for nickel, cobalt, magnesium, and other critical minerals
- Manitoba has one of only three active lithium mines in North America
- Saskatchewan is the world’s largest potash producer and second biggest uranium producer, as well as Canada’s largest helium producer
- The Northwest Territories have 25 of the 34 critical minerals on Canada’s critical minerals list
- The Yukon has copper, nickel, zinc, molybdenum, antimony, tin, manganese, and tungsten in its critical minerals endowment
- Nunavut has zinc, copper, and uranium deposits
The BC government emphasized the importance of these resources to clean energy technologies, advanced manufacturing, food security, trade diversification, national security, and defence applications.
Together, the country’s western and northern regions can access five deepwater ports to the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans via Hudson’s Bay.
“We see opportunity across our shared borders, and we are stronger and more successful when we advance this potential together,” said Caitlin Cleveland, NWT minister of industry, tourism, and investment, in the news release.
“We are excited to see the collaboration of these parties to advance this critically important opportunity,” added Craig Simailak, Nunavut’s minister responsible for mines.