Good afternoon.
Mr. Chair, members of the committee, thank you for inviting me to appear before you today.
Since I have a limited amount of time, I'm going to dive right in.
The Québec Mining Association's mission is to promote, support and proactively develop a responsible, committed and innovative mining industry in Quebec.
To that end, we took part in the consultation process that led to the development of the Canadian minerals and metals plan. We were also part of the consultations on the Canadian critical minerals list, recommending that it include Quebec's already established list of critical and strategic minerals, or CSMs.
We also participated in the consultations held by the Quebec government in late 2019 and early 2020; that process was similar to this approach. The consultations culminated in the release of the Québec Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals 2020‑2025 in the fall of 2020, a plan the industry welcomed.
The Quebec government then adopted a strategy for developing a homegrown battery industry, thereby helping to stimulate demand for Quebec's critical metals. The province has introduced a number of measures to develop the sector. In last year's provincial budget, Quebec created a tax credit for CSM development, which is meant to help mine proponents move from the exploration stage to mine development and make the significant investments required.
In today's provincial budget, the government brought in additional measures to support CSM processing. Quebec is well positioned for the future.
I won't spend the limited amount of time I have telling you about all of the producing mines or mining projects under development in Quebec. I will point out, however, that some of the CSMs we produce are the result of by‑product production, namely cobalt, copper and platinum group elements. Others, such as nickel, graphite, niobium and titanium, are the result of primary production.
On the lithium and graphite fronts, we have some very advanced projects. Sayona is operating a lithium mine that had been placed on care and maintenance, meaning it was a previously producing mine. The company also has a lithium carbonate production plant and two other mining projects. In addition, the company is considering building a processing plant for the conversion of spodumene into lithium carbonate, but has not ruled out the possibility of producing lithium hydroxide.
For its part, Nemaska Lithium, is working on a project to process the transformed base material from its lithium mine into lithium hydroxide. We also have two other lithium mining projects going through the approvals process.
We have a graphite producing mine and two projects in the advanced development stage. One of those is being carried out by Nouveau Monde Graphite, which, in 2021, began construction on a high-purity graphite plant and an anode materials plant for lithium-ion batteries.
We have the minerals necessary for Canada to compete as a supplier of the mine feedstock the global energy transition needs. What's more, with our hydroelectricity, legislative framework, and environmental and social practices, we can position homegrown mineral resources as clean resources that adhere to responsible sourcing requirements and policies.
We see real potential to further diversify Canada's mining sector and take advantage of the tremendous socio‑economic impact of CSM development. Governments that move quickly to secure a competitive edge will be in an ideal position to benefit from the growing demand for critical minerals. Governments around the world recognize the importance of these emerging sectors and are investing billions to develop their own.
Canada must carve out its place. It has the resources and expertise. The industry needs clear policies to accelerate CSM exploration, reduce project approval times, streamline the process and introduce greater predictability, and reduce the risks to investors who choose to do business in Canada.
Adopting a Canadian critical minerals strategy would send a clear message that the Government of Canada views its mining sector as a real answer to climate change and a highly promising source of wealth for Canada. The spinoff generated by CSMs will add to the benefits Canada already draws from traditional sectors, building even more added value into mineral resource development. That will inevitably attract more investment and secure a strong mining sector in Canada.
The Québec Mining Association submits that a Canadian strategy should build on the complementary expertise the provinces and territories have gained so we can all go further together. We must act quickly because the world has already mobilized to secure CSM sources. The decisions on supply sources are being made now.
Thank you.