The program covers up to half of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $200,000 per project
A raft of junior mining companies have scooped up a combined total of almost $9 million from the provincial government to assist with exploration expenses.
The funding comes through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP), which provides small mining companies with funding for exploration at its earliest stages.
The program covers up to 50 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum of $200,000 per project. Companies that are eligible must have a market capitalization of up to $100 million, or a comparable value, if they are privately owned.
The program has committed $8.9 million in funding to 54 projects — 37 of them exploring for critical minerals — leveraging approximately $21 million in additional investment.
Full list of companies below....
$200,000 to EV Nickel to complete a drill program, south of Timmins, to test for nickel, copper and platinum group metals (PGM) deposits.
$200,000 to E2Gold to complete soil, bedrock and channel sampling, followed by a drill program to test for gold deposits near Oba.
$200,000 to Noble Minerals to complete geophysical surveys and a drill program to detect sulphide-bearing rocks that might host critical elements such as zinc, copper, gold, silver, cobalt, selenium and tellurium in the Timmins-Cochrane area.
Ontario has committed a total of $35 million over four years to the program.
“The Ontario Junior Exploration Program is part of our government’s strategic plan to secure the critical minerals needed for the made-in-Ontario supply chain that will change our world and reshape our economy,” said Mines Minister George Pirie in a news release.
“Through our government’s investments in exploration, we are supporting the most critical part of the supply chain and strengthening our mining industry so we can capitalize on this generational opportunity to fuel the future. Our plan, backed by strategic investments like this one, will help drive economic development, secure domestic supply chains and create jobs across the province, especially in northern and Indigenous communities.
Skip to main content
Ontario.ca homepageOntario.ca homepage
FR
Menu
Home Rural and north Mining and minerals
Ontario Junior Exploration Program
Learn about funding to help junior mining companies finance early exploration.
On this pageSkip this page navigation
About the program
Program streams
Eligibility
Apply
Funding recipients
Related
About the program
The Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP) helps junior mining companies finance early exploration projects. These projects help boost mineral exploration, growth and job creation in the province, particularly in northern and Indigenous communities.
Eligible junior mining companies can receive:
up to $200,000 per project to cover 50% of eligible costs
up to $10,000 to cover 100% of eligible costs per project supporting Indigenous employment and business opportunities
Program streams
Critical minerals stream
Projects under the critical minerals stream are projects where a critical mineral, identified in Ontario’s critical minerals list, is the primary or secondary mineral exploration target.
Projects where the primary mineral exploration target is a critical mineral (primary target projects) will be considered for funding on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once primary target projects are selected, projects where the secondary mineral exploration target is a critical mineral (secondary target projects) will be considered for remaining funding on a first-come, first-served basis.
If funding under the critical minerals stream is fully allocated, any remaining primary or secondary target projects will automatically be considered under the exploration stream on a first-come, first-served basis.
Exploration stream
Projects under the exploration stream include:
projects where the exploration target is a mineral not included in the list of critical minerals
any primary target projects or secondary target projects that are being considered under the exploration stream
All projects in the exploration stream will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Eligibility
To be eligible for funding, you must meet all of the following requirements:
be a non-producing junior mining company with a market capitalization of up to $100 million (or a comparable value if you are a private company) as of February 16, 2023
be registered on the Ontario Business Registry
submit an application that proposes to undertake grassroots mineral exploration in Ontario
provide proof that the applicant has the funds to cover 100% of total project costs
provide a copy of a valid certificate of insurance which includes general commercial liability coverage at a limit not less than $2 million per occurrence
be enrolled in the Mining Lands Administration System and hold the necessary mining lands tenure required to carry out the project
have a valid exploration plan and/or permit issued under the Mining Act before work proceeds and for the duration of the project (where required)
have the approval of the plan/permit and/or tenure holder to apply for OJEP funding and carry out the proposed project
Apply
The September 6, 2023 to September 27, 2023 intake period is now closed.
We will assess and approve applications on a first-come, first-served basis.
For complete details on the program, application process and what happens after you apply, read the OJEP program guidelines.
Funding recipients
The following recipients received OJEP funding as part of the first two intakes:
Company name Approved funding amount
5007223 Ontario Inc. $150,000
BTU Metals Corp. $172,000
Canadian Gold Miner Corp. $200,000
Manitou Gold Inc. $200,000
Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. $200,000
Northstar Gold Corp. $57,605
Pelangio Exploration Inc. $150,000
Prosper Gold Corp. $200,000
Red Pine Exploration Inc. $200,000
Transition Metals Corp. $71,857
Tyko Resources Inc. $200,000
VR Resources Ltd. $200,000
The following recipients received OJEP funding as part of the second intake:
Company name Approved funding amount
Angus Gold Inc. $200,000
ALX Resources Inc. $200,000
Canadian Gold Miner Corp. $200,000
Copper Lake Resources Ltd. $200,000
Cross River Ventures Corp. $95,890
Delta Resources Ltd. $200,000
Dynasty Gold Corp. $200,000
EnviroMine Inc. $200,000
EV Nickel Inc. $200,000
Exiro Minerals Corp. $200,000
First Class Metals Canada $200,000
Golden Goliath Resources $169,926
Goldseek Resources Inc. $30,722
Griftco Corp. $66,035
Harfang Exploration Inc. $72,204
Hemlo Explorers Inc. $200,000
Heritage Mining Ltd. $200,000
Insight Exploration Inc. $93,492
International Lithium Corp. $200,000
Kesselrun Resources Inc. $200,000
Manitou Gold Inc. $200,000
Mantra Exploration Inc. $36,733
MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. $200,000
Midex Resources Ltd. $103,574
New Break Resources Ltd. $200,000
Pavey Ark $63,473
Platinex Inc. $80,000
Red Pine Exploration Inc. $200,000
Sparton Resources Inc. $10,574
SPC Nickel Corp. $200,000
Transition Metals $144,071
Ursa Major Minerals Inc. $161,781
Val d’Or Mining Corp. $89,437
VR Resources Inc. $200,000
Warrior Gold Inc. $196,728
Whitefish Exploration Inc. $58,150
The following recipients received OJEP funding as part of the third intake:
Company name Approved funding amount
ALX Resources Corp. $200,000
Angus Gold Inc. $200,000
Ashley Gold Corp. $41,113
Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. $200,000
Brady Mining $112,460
Canada Critical Resources Corp. $200,000
Canada One – Abitibi East $144,459
Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc. $104,386
Canadian Gold Miner Corp. $192,250
Delta Resources Ltd. $200,000
E2Gold Inc. $200,000
EGR Exploration Ltd. $200,000
EnviroMine Inc. $155,588
EQN Canada Inc. $200,000
EV Nickel Inc. $200,000
Exiro Minerals Corp. $200,000
Falcon Mining Inc. $200,000
Goldshore Resources Inc. $200,000
Hemlo Explorers Inc. $200,000
Heritage Mining Ltd. $200,000
Imagine Lithium Inc. $200,000
Inventus Mining Corp. $176,800
JoBina Resources Inc. $200,000
Kenorland Minerals Ltd. $200,000
Kesselrun Resources Ltd. $200,000
Kingsview Minerals Ltd. $197,460
Lican Exploration Inc. $200,000
Lost Hope Mine Ltd. $8,246
MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. $200,000
Melkior Resources Inc. $200,000
Midex Resources Ltd. $165,900
Mink Ventures Corp. $77,405
Money Money Money $27,494
New Break Resources Ltd. $70,000
Newpath Resources Inc. $200,000
Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. $200,000
Nortec Minerals Corp. $200,000
Platinex Inc. $200,000
Prospector Metals Corp. $200,000
Prosper Gold Corp. $200,000
Red Pine Exploration Inc. $200,000
Rich Copper Exploration Corp. $48,105
Rift Lithium Inc. $71,263
Rockridge Resources Ltd. $200,000
Sky Gold Corp. $200,000
Solstice Gold Corp. $200,000
SPC Nickel Corp. o/a “SPC Metals” $200,000
Storm Exploration Inc. $64,125
Thunder Gold Corp. $148,500
Transition Metals Corp. $200,000
Tyko Resources Inc. $200,000
VR Resources Ltd. $200,000
Weekapaug Lithium Subco Inc. $100,000
Whitefish Exploration Inc. $46,650
Relatedinformation
Mining and minerals
Critical Minerals
Funding opportunities available through the Ontario government
Updated: December 08, 2023
Published: July 26, 2021
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario includes ministries, agencies and Crown corporations.
Questions or comments
There are many ways to contact the Government of Ontario.
Contact us
About Ontario
Accessibility
News
Privacy
Terms of use
© King’s Printer for Ontario, 2012–to23
Top