PDAC suggestions for Updated Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy – Request for information

Natural Resources Canada launched a Request for Information to help inform an updated Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy. The RFI sought stakeholder perspectives on gaps, opportunities and priorities across the critical mineral value chain, including how Canada can increase domestic production and processing, strengthen economic resilience and supply-chain security, and work with Indigenous partners, industry and international allies. The original Strategy was launched in 2022, with the federal government describing the update as an opportunity to respond to changing geopolitical, market and demand conditions.

PDAC’s response recognizes that the first iteration of the Strategy has made positive strides in attracting investment to early-stage mineral exploration and contributing to growth in estimated domestic mineral resources. However, declining mineable reserves and production for core critical minerals such as copper, nickel and zinc demonstrate the need to better translate exploration success into new mines. PDAC recommends that the updated Strategy provide long-term, predictable fiscal incentives for exploration, greater flexibility in how incentive dollars can be used to advance projects toward a build decision, and improved access to public geoscience data. More accessible and industry-relevant geoscience information can both support new discoveries and strengthen evidence-based government decision-making, including decisions related to land conservation and protection.