Kenora-Rainy River MPP and Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Indigenous Affairs and Energy, Greg Rickford.
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford says he’s pleased to see Ontario’s announcement of their first-ever Critical Minerals Strategy, which aims to position the province as a world leader in the mining sector.
“I’ve been working on this for well over a year,” said Rickford, during an interview last week. “Ontario is the best-positioned jurisdiction in the world to advance a critical minerals strategy. We have one of the most exquisite quantities and qualities of all of the critical minerals.”
Ontario says the strategy aims to transition to a low-carbon based economy in Canada and globally, with the ability to produce and manufacture nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum group elements.
Rickford, who also serves as the Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Indigenous Affairs and Energy, says this could lead to Ontario being a major producer of electric vehicles, stainless steel products, aerospace and defence electronics and much more.
"Industries across Ontario and around the world need a steady supply of critical minerals to support new technologies and emerging industries, including electric vehicles.”
In 2019, Ontario produced roughly $10 billion worth of minerals, or about 22 percent of Canada’s total mineral production. Rickford says Ontario is well-positioned to strengthen and grow our mining sector, citing low electricity rates and rebates for mining operations. “
We’ve got the opportunity in the Ring of Fire and that’s tracking well. We have the Greenstone belt. We have a lithium operation just north of here. We recently announced funding support to open the first cobalt processing plant in North America, in Cobalt, Ontario.”
The Minister notes a consultation with industry and Indigenous communities will help to guide the development of the strategy, set to be released later this year, and Ontario has released a discussion paper on the Environmental Registry of Ontario.
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