On March 3, 2026, at the 2026 Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced up to $165.2 million for 22 Canadian projects that will accelerate planning, development and processing capacity across the country and unlock a total of $434 million in critical minerals projects across eight provinces.
This support includes:
- Up to $114.9 million under the First and Last Mile Fund (formerly the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund) for one approved and four conditionally funded projects, pending final due diligence, to undertake activities such as infrastructure upgrades and construction, environmental reviews and engagement with Indigenous communities.
- Up to $17.8 million under the Energy Innovation Program for four projects to advance clean energy technologies that improve the reliability, affordability and climate competitiveness of Canada’s energy system.
- Up to $27.5 million under the Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration program for three projects to develop cutting-edge mining technologies.
- Up to $2.8 million under the Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships program for three projects to increase the economic participation of Indigenous communities and organizations in natural resource projects and our clean energy future.
- Up to $2.2 million under the Critical Minerals Geoscience and Data initiative for seven projects to generate and enhance access to new data that will support exploration of critical minerals deposits in Canada.
Energy Innovation Program
The Energy Innovation Program (EIP) advances clean energy technologies that will help Canada maintain a competitive, reliable and affordable energy system while transitioning to a low‑carbon economy. Projects funded through the Mining Decarbonization Demonstration Call for Proposals support the uptake of energy‑decarbonization technologies within Canada’s mining sector, focusing specifically on demonstration activities in upstream to midstream operations. Projects funded under the Battery Industry Acceleration Call for Proposals support technologies that accelerate the decarbonization, safety and competitiveness of Canada’s battery value chain.
Project name: Battery-Grade Graphite: A Canadian Low-GHG Solution From Regolith Resources
Recipient: Green Graphite Technologies Inc. (GGT)
Location: Nelson, British Columbia, and Mississauga, Ontario
Funding amount: $4,750,000
Description: This project will demonstrate a lower‑energy process to upgrade near‑surface graphite for use in lithium‑ion batteries. The graphite will be supplied from Weaver Energy’s permitted quarry in British Columbia and processed using a two‑step technology developed by Green Graphite Technologies. Compared with traditional mining and overseas processing, this approach reduces overall energy consumption by skipping the energy-intensive crushing and grinding of ore and using an efficient continuous electric furnace.
To read the complete press release, please click here: https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2026/03/backgrounder-government-of-canada-invests-to-unlock-canadas-critical-minerals-advantage.html