As the federal government was formally announcing Canada's new Critical Minerals Strategy, backed up by $3.8 billion in funding allocations, several Sudbury community leaders were commenting on how that program presents a host of opportunities for the local mining and mining technology sectors.
That industry will require significant amounts of lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper, all of which can be found in Northern Ontario, with business and supply-chain links to Sudbury. The mayor commented that he was pleased Natural Resources Canada was allowing the minerals announcement to be made in Sudbury at the same time as the formal announcement was being made in Vancouver. Lefebvre said this was an indication of the importance of the role Sudbury has in the success of the mineral strategy.