Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson Directs $310 Million for Critical Mineral Roads and Clean Microgrids

OTTAWA — Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson announced on Monday the distribution of $310 million in federal infrastructure funding through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF) to construct all-weather industrial access corridors, high-voltage clean electrical transmission spurs, and hydro-electric microgrids connecting northern mining deposits in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories.

The federal capital grants, matched by $580 million in provincial and private mining capital, unlock access to world-class deposits of battery-grade lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements required for domestic electric vehicle battery supply chains and national defense technologies.

Unlocking Northern Mineral Wealth in Partnership with Indigenous Communities Northern and remote critical mineral deposits often face high development hurdles due to lack of year-round road access and reliance on expensive diesel generators that emit thousands of tons of greenhouse gases.

"Canada possesses the critical minerals the world needs to power the clean energy transition, but our deposits are often located in remote northern regions without modern infrastructure," Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said in Ottawa. "This $310 million investment builds the all-weather access roads, clean electrical grids, and rail spurs needed to bring Canadian critical mineral mines into commercial production, while creating multi-generational economic opportunities for Indigenous and northern communities."

Funded Northern Infrastructure Projects Key project awards include:

• Ontario Ring of Fire North-South Road Corridor: $110 million for engineered bridge crossings and all-season gravel subgrade construction in partnership with Webequie and Marten Falls First Nations.
• James Bay Lithium Transmission Line (Quebec): $85 million for a 161-kV Hydro-Québec electrical transmission line to clean-power regional spodumene mines.
• BC Golden Triangle High-Voltage Power Spur: $65 million to connect copper and gold deposits to BC Hydro's Northwest Transmission Line.
• Northwest Territories Rare Earth Access Route: $50 million for bridge replacements along the Mackenzie Valley winter road.

Mining association executives, Indigenous development corporations, and clean tech leaders commended the federal investments, emphasizing that public infrastructure co-investment accelerates commercial mining delivery.