Canadian Media Resource Articles

Lecce touts Ontario’s mining strategy as key to energy security and economic self-reliance – by Barbara Patrocinio (QP Briefing – May 16, 2025)

May 16, 2025

https://www.qpbriefing.com/

“Our job is to be bold,” Lecce said. “We’re not just exporting minerals. We’re exporting a model for how a modern, secure, and sovereign economy can look in the 21st century.”

In an interview marking mining week, Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce says Ontario is poised to become a global “clean energy superpower,” and he’s betting big on critical minerals, faster permitting timelines, and more domestic processing to get there.

Lecce outlined his vision for the province’s resource sector, which he described as essential not only to creating tens of thousands of jobs, but also to defending Canada’s economic sovereignty.

Cameco CEO says Carney supportive of nuclear energy industry as uranium demand grows – by Michael Joel-Hansen (Financial Post – May 16, 2025)

May 16, 2025

https://financialpost.com/

Speedy development of resource projects could be crucial for Canada’s uranium industry

The chief executive of the world’s largest uranium miner believes Prime Minister Mark Carney will be supportive of Canada’s nuclear industry as it looks ahead to meet growing demand. Saskatoon-based Cameco Corp. chief executive Tim Gitzel said the federal government needs to be interested in growing nuclear energy and hopes that will happen under Carney’s leadership, based on past dealings with the prime minister.

Carney and Gitzel met previously amid a joint deal between Cameco and Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. to buy Westinghouse Electric Co. in 2023. At the time, Carney was chair and head of Transition Investing at Brookfield.

B.C. mining sector calls for streamlined permitting – by Adam Campbell (Business In Vancouver – May 15, 2025)

May 16, 2025

https://www.biv.com/

MABC projects $90B in short-term economic activity from mines under construction

B.C. must accelerate mining permitting to remain competitive and retain investment amid a tense political landscape. That was one of the key messages Michael Goehring delivered at the Mining Association of BC’s (MABC) annual Greater Vancouver Board of Trade address last week.

The CEO of MABC said he was pleased to see the creation of the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals last November, and the introduction of legislation earlier this month aimed at speeding up approvals for major projects. These are important steps, he said, and perhaps indications that the current government is choosing to focus more on economic growth.

Tungsten prices hit 12-year high as China tightens export controls – by Staff (Mining.com – May 15, 2025)

May 16, 2025

https://www.mining.com/

European tungsten prices have surged to their highest level since 2013, driven by China’s tightening grip on critical mineral exports.

The price of ammonium paratungstate (APT)—a key intermediate used in tungsten metal production—has climbed to $400 per metric ton unit (mtu) on the European spot market, marking an 18% jump since February, according to Reuters.

Uranium added to Nova Scotia critical minerals list as province seeks exploration – by Keith Doucette (Canadian Press/CBC Nova Scotia – May 14, 2025)

May 16, 2025

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/

Potential exploration sites are in Pictou County, Annapolis County and Hants County

The Nova Scotia government added uranium to its list of priority critical minerals on Wednesday and issued a request for exploration proposals at three sites the province says have known deposits of the heavy metal.

Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton says the government hopes to reap economic benefits from the exploration in the future, although a department official said any potential mining project could be “decades” away.

Ice roads are a lifeline for First Nations. As Canada warms, they’re disappearing. (Grist.org – May 15, 2025)

May 16, 2025

https://grist.org/

Indigenous peoples are navigating the slow collapse of winter roads — and an even slower pace of help.

It was the last night of February and a 4×4 truck vaulted down the 103-mile winter road to Cat Lake First Nation in northern Ontario, a road made entirely of ice and snow. Only the light of the stars and the red and white truck lights illuminated the dense, snow-dusted spruce trees on either side of the road. From the passenger seat, Rachel Wesley, a member of the Ojibway community and its economic development officer, told the driver to stop.

The truck halted on a snow bridge over a wide creek — 1 of 5 made of snow along this road. It was wide enough for only one truck to cross at a time; its snowy surface barely 2 feet above the creek. Wesley zipped up her thick jacket and jumped out into the frigid night air. She looked at the creek and pointed at its open, flowing water. “That’s not normal,” she said, placing a cigarette between her lips.

Canada could unlock C$1.1tr GDP boost by fast-tracking resource projects, think-tank says – by Staff (Mining Weekly – May 16, 2025)

May 16, 2025

https://www.miningweekly.com/

Canada could add as much as C$1.1-trillion to its economy by 2035 if it accelerates investment decisions on more than 500 energy, mining and infrastructure projects, according to a new report by the Public Policy Forum.

The ‘Build Big Things’ report, released on Thursday, offers a policy playbook aimed at boosting Canada’s sluggish productivity and countering global competition in critical minerals and energy. It calls for regulatory reform, streamlined permitting, expanded Indigenous participation and a national strategy to accelerate project approvals.

Could thorium be the world’s next great source of fuel? – by Naimul Karim (Financial Post – May 16, 2025)

May 16, 2025

https://financialpost.com/

“Rabbits sometimes make mistakes or grow lazy. That’s when the tortoise seizes its chance.” That’s how a scientist from China recently described the Asian giant’s progress in using thorium — a silvery-white radioactive metal that’s more abundant in the earth’s crust than uranium — to generate power.

Xu Hongjie reportedly used the folklore saying in a closed-door meeting at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in April to suggest China had overtaken the United States in this specific field, according to the South China Morning Post. But could thorium really be used as a viable source for fuel in the near future or even replace uranium in nuclear reactors? Here’s what you need to know.

OPINION: Too long has the Toronto Stock Exchange been shrunken and battered. No more – by Bryce C. Tingle (Globe and Mail – May 15, 2025)

May 16, 2025

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Bryce C. Tingle is the N. Murray Edwards Chair in Business Law at the University of Calgary’s faculty of law. His book Hard Lessons in Corporate Governance was shortlisted for the Donner Prize.

Canada has been shaken out of its complacency by the actions of the Trump administration over the past 100 days. As this country considers how it can compete against a suddenly antagonistic southern neighbour, some consideration should be given to the woeful state of our public markets.

The Toronto Stock Exchange, long the crown jewel of Canada’s financial system, has shrunk almost by half in terms of the number of operating companies it supports. Most of the missing companies have gone to the U.S. In the terminology we generally use for businesses, the TSX is being badly outcompeted by the U.S.

Northern Ontario First Nations fear uphill battle to preserve rights as Bill 5 speeds through legislature – by Aya Dufour (CBC News Sudbury – May 16, 2025)

May 16, 2025

https://www.cbc.ca/

Ford government says it’s cutting ‘red tape’ to speed up resource development projects

Bill 5 is a broad piece of legislation that has implications for mining development, endangered species, archeology and Indigenous peoples. It’s part of the Ford government’s “plan to protect Ontario” by cutting “the red tape that has held back major infrastructure, mining and resource development projects.”

The bill was tabled a few weeks ago and is now slated to be examined by a standing committee at Queen’s Park, whom Friends of the Attawapiskat river founder Michel Koostachin is set to address in the coming weeks. “There’s not going to be any consultations whatsoever with this bill,” said Koostachin.

Expert tells U.S. senators Canada is a key ally on critical minerals – by Kelly Geraldine Malone (Canadian Press – May 14, 2025)

May 14, 2025

https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/

WASHINGTON – An expert in critical minerals told U.S. senators Wednesday that Canada will be a key ally in efforts to reduce America’s reliance on Chinese supply — after President Donald Trump spent months claiming the United States doesn’t need anything from its northern neighbour.

Gracelin Baskaran, director of critical minerals security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., told the Senate finance committee that the U.S. only has 1.3 per cent of the world’s rare earths. “The uncomfortable truth is we are not going to do this alone,” she said.

China’s gold market surges in April, but investment demand may cool along with trade tensions – World Gold Council – by Ernest Hoffman (Kitco News – May 14, 2025)

May 14, 2025

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) – China’s gold market posted one of its strongest performances of all time in April, with prices, physical and investment demand all sky-high, but demand may wane as U.S.-China tensions ease, according to Ray Jia, Research Head, China at the World Gold Council (WGC).

Jia noted that global gold prices continued their rise in April, and this strength was reflected in the Chinese market. “Our model shows that a weaker dollar, elevated geopolitical/economic uncertainties and strong gold ETF inflows drove gold up,” he said. “While the LBMA Gold Price PM in USD saw its strongest April since 2011, the SHAUPM in RMB recorded its highest April return in 19 years.”

Trump keeps saying the U.S. doesn’t need Canada’s stuff. We asked experts if he’s right – by Jordan Gowling (Financial Post – May 13, 2025)

May 14, 2025

https://financialpost.com/

Here’s a look at eight Canadian exports and whether they are essential to America

In his Oval Office meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney last Tuesday, President Donald Trump repeated his refrain that the U.S. doesn’t need or want anything Canada produces, listing off a litany of goods he said his country would rather make itself. But can the U.S. really do without our stuff?

We checked with economists and industry experts to see just how much the U.S. relies on eight of our biggest exports, and whether Trump is right in thinking they can go it alone. rump made it clear during his meeting with Carney that the U.S. does not want Canadian-made vehicles. “We want to make our own cars, we don’t really want cars from Canada,” said Trump. “At a certain point, it won’t make economic sense for Canada to build those cars.”

Federal government appoints first Indigenous Minister of Indigenous Services Canada – by Willow Fiddler (Globe and Mail – May 14, 2025)

May 14, 2025

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

The first Indigenous person ever to be appointed Minister of Indigenous Services Canada has a big job ahead of them and high expectations to meet, the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations says. Mandy Gull-Masty, from the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi in Quebec, was sworn in on Tuesday to lead the ministry, which administers services and programs for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.

AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse told The Globe and Mail that Ms. Gull-Masty will be held to a higher standard because she is a First Nations woman, but that she will prove her leadership to the country.

‘Diamonds are forever,’ but not necessarily so for northern mining industry – by Aya Dufour (CBC News Sudbury – May 13, 2025)

May 13, 2025

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/

DeBeers renews focus on natural diamonds after closing lab-grown business

DeBeers recently renewed its focus on natural diamonds after experimenting with lab-grown ones. But that probably won’t be enough to revive diamond mining in northern Ontario, according to some working in the sector.

In a news release last week, the mining giant pointed to a sharp decline in prices for lab-grown diamonds and said that trend underpinned the company’s “core belief in rare, high value and natural diamond jewelry.” DeBeers started its lab-grown diamond business around the same time it closed its only diamond project in Ontario — the Victor Mine near Attawapiskat First Nation in the province’s far north.