Yesterday, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, I addressed the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities conference. I discussed critical minerals strategy, the paper industry, environmental management, forest fires, and more. The theme, "unlocking the North’s potential," resonated well. Federal investments in critical minerals, Indigenous issues, housing, infrastructure, environmental protection, and more are vital for Northern Ontario's growth. Valuable feedback was received from municipal representatives, business agents, and community leaders, enhancing our understanding of Northern Ontario's needs.

The Federal government's recent support for Honda's plan to build an innovative electric vehicle assembly plant has sparked enthusiasm. Honda Canada could see up to $2.5 billion Federal dollars through the proposed EV Supply Chain investment tax credit and the proposed Clean Technology Manufacturing investment tax credit. As a resident of Northern Ontario, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, I firmly believe that this development presents significant opportunities for our region's economy and for the mining industry – a huge economic driver for Nickel Belt and Northern Ontario.

The decision by Honda to establish a full-EV supply chain in Canada, right here in Ontario, supports the global shift towards sustainable transportation and renewable energy, while cementing our country’s place as a leader. It also signals industry confidence in Canada’s ability to deliver the minerals for their supply chain. Resources such as nickel, cobalt, lithium, and graphite, are already being mined in close proximity here in Northern Ontario and in Quebec. In fact, there are 11 operational critical mineral mines and an additional 14 critical mineral projects in various phases of development in Ontario.  This means the materials travel less far to the plant lowering emissions and cost.

As the demand for EVs rises, so will the demand for these critical minerals, leading to increased exploration, extraction, and processing activities in our region. This can generate new employment opportunities, stimulate local businesses, and drive economic growth across Northern Ontario communities.

However, it is essential to ensure that this growth is sustainable and inclusive. As we welcome new investments and developments, we must also prioritize environmental regulations, Indigenous partnerships, and community engagement.

 By fostering collaboration between industry stakeholders, Indigenous communities, and different levels of government, we can ensure that the benefits of this economic expansion are shared and that our natural resources are managed responsibly for future generations.

The Federal government has not only invested in the EV side, but in 2022 brought forward a comprehensive Critical Minerals Strategy that supports these types of ventures by ensuring that mining companies can also unlock Federal incentives through tabled budget items. 

In 2023 $1.5 billion in Federal funds was made available over 7 years for clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects necessary to enable the sustainable development and expansion of critical minerals in Canada and to address key infrastructure gaps.

The recently announced Budget 2024 builds on this with the extension of the Clean Technology Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit (CTM-ITC) to include the cost of investments in eligible property used primarily (50 per cent or more of the production value) to produce qualifying critical minerals, and to make certain other adjustments to provide greater clarity to businesses involved in polymetallic extraction and processing. This helps offset the cost of investments in new machinery and equipment used to extract, process, or recycle critical minerals essential for clean technology supply chains.  We have also set a target of 5 years or less to complete federal Impact Assessment and permitting processes, and 2 years or less for permitting of non-federally designated projects.

The Federal government won’t be able to unlock Canada’s full EV potential alone. I look forward to continued collaboration with all stakeholders and levels of government and look forward to the upcoming BEV-in-depth conference taking place in Greater Sudbury May 29^th and 30^th co-hosted by Cambrian College, EV Society, Frontier Lithium, and the City of Greater Sudbury. This is another perfect example of problem solving and ensuring our region stays at the forefront of the EV revolution.  Nickel Belt is ready to be part of the solution and the next step!

Marc G. Serré
MP/Député de Nickel Belt

Quick facts

• In 2024 the Government of Canada announced $5 million to support the continued expansion of Electra Battery Materials Corporation’s cobalt refinery in North Cobalt. 
• In 2022 MP Serré announced $1,321,875 from FedNor to allow NORCAT to acquire and incorporate mining equipment powered by batteries and electric motors to support their transition to a green operation
• In 2022 MP Serré also announced $682,320 to Cambrian College to establish a BEV Lab within its Centre for Smart Mining, a nationally recognized Technology Access Centre, located in the Glencore Centre for Innovation.
• MP Serré announced $40 million to support the creation of the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA) Network, a pan-Canadian initiative bringing together stakeholders from a wide range of fields to accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative technologies to make the mining sector more productive and sustainable
• $5 billion in loan guarantees to help Indigenous communities invest in natural resource and energy products
• Nearly 650,000 people are employed directly and indirectly in mining across the country
• In 2020, over 11,500 Indigenous people were employed in mining
• The total value of mineral production in Canada in 2021 was $55.5 billion