Deadline: August 25, 2026
The program aims to increase critical minerals exploration, mining, development, production, and processing, stimulate investment in Ontario’s critical minerals supply chain, enhance collaboration between industry, academia, start-ups, and research and development firms, and support projects related to the battery supply chain, deep exploration and mining, recovery of minerals, and other innovative projects that strengthen the critical minerals sector.
Eligible recipients can receive funding of up to $500,000 per project, covering a maximum of 50% of eligible project costs. Applicants can receive funding for only one project per intake round. Eligible research and development costs include prototyping, product testing, intellectual property protection, research and development services provided by external companies, contracted professional technical services, technology transfer and commercialization activities, and capital assets or equipment required to test the feasibility of innovative techniques and processes.
Ineligible costs include expenses not directly related to project milestones, costs incurred before the intake round start date, salaries and wages of individuals already paid by the applicant, routine business administration costs, capital assets unrelated to the new technology, business development expenses such as marketing and trade shows, and technology supplies not directly connected to the technology being developed.
To be eligible, the applicant must be a private-sector business or a private-sector business collaborating with a public sector academic or research institution, non-profit organization, or association. For collaborative projects, one organization must act as the lead applicant and funding recipient. The project must take place in Ontario, involve research, development, and/or commercialization of innovative technologies, techniques, processes, or solutions aligned with one or more of the program priorities, and must not receive funding from any other provincial government of Ontario program.
For more information, visit Ontario.
