On July 23–24, 2025, the Ontario government announced a new intake of its Critical Minerals Innovation Fund (CMIF), committing C$7 million (roughly US$5.1 million) to support research, development, and commercialization efforts aligned with its critical mineral’s strategy. The open application window spans July 23 through October 1, 2025, and the fund will co‐finance eligible projects—covering up to 50% of project costs, with a maximum grant of C$500,000 per project. This latest round builds on C$20 million previously disbursed across 29 Ontario-based initiatives since CMIF’s inception in 2022.
The fund supports four core priority areas: innovative techniques for deep exploration and mining; mineral recovery technologies; battery value chain development; and broader mining innovation. Priority projects include initiatives such as lithium processing facilities in Thunder Bay, advanced ore-sorting technologies, and recyclable mineral recovery systems. The goal is to strengthen Ontario’s role in the domestic supply chain for critical minerals like nickel, cobalt, lithium, platinum group elements, graphite, and more, thereby reducing reliance on foreign sources and shielding the province from economic uncertainty associated with U.S. tariffs and global market volatility.
Beyond economic stimulus, this initiative plays an important role in reinforcing social licenses to operate in mining communities. By driving made-in-Ontario innovation, creating high-skilled local jobs, and investing in environmentally sustainable processes and infrastructure, the fund positions public engagement and trust alongside industrial growth. Local communities, including Indigenous partners, are better served when mining innovation is transparent, responsible, and shared—with benefits that include cleaner operations, economic diversification, and long-term regional resilience. In doing so, Ontario seeks not only to scale its critical minerals sector but to do so with legitimacy and inclusive support.