The Critical Minerals Innovation Fund (CMIF) provides funding to projects that help strengthen Ontario’s critical minerals sector.

Rapidly changing technologies are increasing the global demand for critical minerals. These minerals have become important to strategic industries such as:

  • national defence
  • emerging computer and telecommunications technologies
  • clean technologies that will support a low-carbon future

The CMIF supports projects that involve research, development and commercialization of innovative technologies, techniques, processes and solutions for critical minerals and relate to Ontario’s key priority areas.

Eligibility requirements

To qualify for funding, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be a private-sector business, either applying independently or in collaboration with a public-sector academic or research institution, non-profit, or industry association (in collaborative projects, one organization must act as the lead applicant and funding recipient).

  • The project must take place in Ontario.

  • The project must focus on research, development, and/or commercialization of innovative technologies, processes, or solutions related to critical minerals, specifically in one or more of the following areas: battery supply chain, advanced exploration or mining techniques, mineral recovery, or other innovations supporting the critical minerals sector.

  • The project must not be receiving funding from any other Government of Ontario program.

 Eligible costs

Funding covers a range of research, development, and commercialization activities related to innovative technologies for critical minerals.

Eligible R&D costs may include:

  • Prototyping (design, components, fabrication, materials)

  • Product testing and IP protection

  • External R&D or technical services

  • Technology transfer and commercialization support

  • Equipment or capital assets used for testing

Eligible commercialization costs may include:

  • Renovations or construction directly tied to commercialization

  • Prototype demonstrations and scaling for deployment

  • Product certification

  • External R&D or technical services

  • Equipment or assets used for commercialization

Ineligible costs include:

  • Expenses not tied to project milestones

  • Costs incurred before the intake period

  • Salaries already covered by the applicant

  • Routine admin or business expenses (e.g., office supplies)

  • Capital assets unrelated to the technology

  • Marketing, trade shows, or unrelated tech supplies

Funding

Applicants can receive a maximum of 50% of eligible project costs up to $500,000 per project.

Deadline

The application period will be open from July 23 until 5 p.m. EDT on October 1, 2025.