Evidence of meeting #4 for Natural Resources in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was mining.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Western Copper and Gold
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm probably repeating myself as well, but I'm quite optimistic about the Major Projects Office and the role it can play from a de-bottlenecking perspective. At least in my view, that's where most of our challenges are.
The other point, I would say, is increased emphasis on the federal government's responsibility to consult with first nations. It's doing that earlier in the process and making sure those first nations are funded.
Those are tactical things to do. They're maybe not overly sexy, but that's where the challenge is. The challenge is in the corners. That's where we have to be incredibly more efficient to rise to the challenge.
Liberal
Corey Hogan Liberal Calgary Confederation, AB
That's great.
Mr. Ulansky, a specific question is around access to capital for exploration and juniors. You know, big companies come from small companies and we need to be creating a robust ecosystem.
What can we be doing specifically for companies of your size?
President and CEO, Cantex Mine Development Corp.
I would say that continuing on with the flow-through funds is critical for the junior mining space.
I'm going to go off topic a little bit quickly on the first nations side. Having first nations as a partner in resources is critical. I think we are all increasingly understanding the importance of having them at the table in a meaningful role.
Liberal
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Rowe pointed out that most of our critical minerals are in the vicinity of where people live. I suspect that's because that's where the critical minerals are and people came to access those minerals. It makes me realize that 99% of this country is remote and we're always going to find a problem with infrastructure, so I was wondering what we can do to be more effective in developing infrastructure in a timely manner.
I'm going to start with Mr. Mullally.
I'm interested in the Red Chris mine. I notice that it's in northwest British Columbia. I haven't been out there, but I know it's very remote. There's a main highway that goes up to Watson Lake and Red Chris is quite well off that road.
What kind of infrastructure do you need up there specifically? How can we structure things to make it easier to create infrastructure when and where we need it?
Head of External Relations and Social Performance, Newmont Canada, Newmont Corporation
Red Chris is about 600 kilometres north of Terrace and about five hours south of Whitehorse. It is very remote.
There is a road. One thing that the road shares is significant risks for communities, as well as significant risks for operations, because the road is not necessarily suitable for industrial traffic all the time. As a very important artery for the region, it will be important for it to be safe for communities, for safe passage, along with more industrial traffic as well. The federal government made a $70-million investment, and the Province of British Columbia made a $120-million investment in that road. Road safety will be critical.
As well, on community infrastructure, our philosophy is that as we operate and grow in a region the surrounding communities should also benefit. While the Tahltan communities of Iskut, Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake continue to have substandard outcomes in health and education and in their roads, stores, clinics and other things, I think that as we look at this region as a major project of national interest we'll need to really consider how we continue to increase the standard of living in these communities. In particular, we would expect that there would be more people living in that region as well.
Then there is the required transmission, really, beyond this phase. As I said, we have a couple of operating mines. There is another project. Then, just thereafter, there would be no more projects because of the investment, Essentially, we'll always be strained without infrastructure. In particular, critical minerals are highly energy-intensive operations and really need to be connected to transmission lines.
As an example, Galore Creek would be roughly a 300-megawatt load, so it's almost impossible that its operation would be developed without a transmission line. It would represent a 40% increase in Canada's copper production.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
What can we do as a government to facilitate investment in the infrastructure?
Head of External Relations and Social Performance, Newmont Canada, Newmont Corporation
Well, I think the critical minerals infrastructure fund is one way, Mr. McKinnon, and also, looking at other ways to invest in this region.
Again, it's being looked at as a major project of national interest in Canada, so I think of transmission. BC Hydro is the proponent, and British Columbia's potentially working with Yukon is a connection point as well.
I know that this is a big priority for B.C. and a significant priority for Yukon as well. That cross-territorial and -provincial connection is one that would bring a lot of value in terms of Mr. Singh's project, along with many a copper/gold project along the way.
Investments in transmission would be a very important step.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Terry Duguid
I think Mr. Singh has a response to your question, Mr. McKinnon.
Mr. Singh.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Terry Duguid
Okay. We'll get to both of them.
Mr. Singh and Mr. Cataford, could we have quick responses, please.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Western Copper and Gold
Mr. Chair, very quickly, I will re-emphasize that these are phenomenal infrastructure investments that we're talking about. People will step up to make them. They don't necessarily all need to be backed by the government.
What needs to be done is a streamlining of these. There needs to maybe be some capital on the front end, but it's about bridging that gap, as I mentioned earlier, so that the mining projects that are going to be the anchor tenants for some of those infrastructure investments that are on the come are not going to be blocked for the wrong reasons and are going to move through the process in a reasonable time frame. If we can do that, that money will flow.
Chief Executive Officer, Champion Iron
When we look at the various investments that are required, I think they're very large amounts when we talk about infrastructure. If we look at the current funds that are available and we look at just our project, we could probably require all the funds in certain of these that were put in place.
I think one of the elements—and it touches a bit on what Mr. Singh just said—is that investments for infrastructure can be there if there is support from the government and if it's also for projects that are recognized in a streamlined fashion. I think there are certain areas in Canada that are critical to focus on, the Labrador Trough being one. I think our colleagues here have mentioned another. That can generate significant investments in the future.
You can look at the Abitibi region. In the 1920s it was not accessible. They built the rail and now you have about seven mines in the region. They've been operating there for the past hundred years.
I think we have certain regions we can focus on that can generate a significant amount of revenue. That could potentially allow us to focus on other more remote areas that have critical minerals that are essential for Canada but are maybe a little riskier.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Terry Duguid
Colleagues, we're going to round four, which is our final round. We're running late because of our pause and because we allowed some additional responses from our amazing witnesses, who we've worked over pretty hard over the last almost two hours.
We can take one of two approaches at the will of the committee. We can do one round from each party—four minutes for the two parties and two minutes for Mr. Simard—or we can do the full round with maybe three minutes each for five—
October 2nd, 2025 / 12:55 p.m.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Terry Duguid
We'll have one from each party. Does that sound good?
Okay, so it will be four, four and two, starting with Mr. Allison.
Conservative
Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON
Thank you very much, Chair.
Thank you to our witnesses. After 21 years, I'm always amazed at the expertise we get at the table, yet governments don't always follow their excellent information.
I want to go to Mr. Ulansky for a second because he talked in his opening comments a bit about germanium. I don't think a lot of people understand or even know what it is. Where does germanium come from? I know you guys have some opportunities in the Yukon, but it's my understanding that germanium comes from Russia and China, which are two not exactly friendly countries.
How much germanium do they have, and why is germanium so important as a critical mineral?
President and CEO, Cantex Mine Development Corp.
Roughly 80% to 90% of the global germanium supply comes from Russia and China, and China has blocked all exports of germanium to the U.S. as part of the ongoing dispute.
Our western source, primarily the only western source in North America at the moment, is the Red Dog mine, which is owned by Teck. That germanium is recovered down at the smelter in Trail. The Red Dog mine is scheduled to end production in 2031, which is not that far away.
Germanium is one of those critical metals we're all discussing here today that are instrumental in a lot of our modern technologies, whether it's our fibre optics, computer chips or LEDs. From the military perspective, it's necessary for night-vision goggles, sensors and such. It is critical. It's found with our zinc mineralization in our project, but we in the west desperately need to have a source in friendly hands.
Conservative
Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON
One of the things I always find interesting is we have this Major Projects Office that would advance a project. Is this one that would qualify?
President and CEO, Cantex Mine Development Corp.
I would like to believe so, yes.