The Manitoba government has opened its Critical Mineral Office, established a mining advisory council and formed a partnership to support mining workforce development and training in Indigenous communities, Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation Minister Jamie Moses and Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie announced today.
“Manitoba has the critical minerals the world needs and that’s why we are focused on growing the sector to create good jobs,” said Moses. “It’s never been more important to diversify our province’s economy and create new trade relationships, and the new Critical Mineral Office and mining advisory council will help us do that.”
Manitoba’s single-window Critical Mineral Office will advance the province’s mining sector by attracting investment from around the world and providing mining businesses with customized service to streamline processes and speed up project development while maintaining Manitoba’s high environmental and labour standards, noted the minister.
The Manitoba government has also established a mining advisory council with representation from government, Indigenous organizations, environmental groups, academia, municipalities and labour to provide guidance and inform the province’s work around critical minerals with the key objective of advancing Indigenous inclusion and mineral sector partnerships.
Through a partnership with Prairies Economic Development Canada and the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund, the province is providing $1 million to Marcel Colomb First Nation, Sagkeeng First Nation, Norway House Cree First Nation and Kiciwapa Cree First Nation in support of workforce development and training for the mining industry.
“We’re making sure Indigenous nations are properly consulted and involved in decision making, and that they see the economic benefits of critical mineral projects,” said Bushie. “By bringing in Indigenous-led environmental monitoring and stewardship and working with communities, we can create good local jobs and strengthen our economy for everyone – the right way.”
Manitoba has 30 of 34 critical minerals identified by the federal government as critical for promoting green energy and sustainable economic success including all six minerals recognized as having the greatest opportunity to fuel domestic supply and manufacturing, namely lithium, copper, nickel, cobalt, graphite and rare earth elements.
