The Manitoba government is announcing an additional intake of up to $2 million in funding through the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund (MMDF) to spur immediate economic growth, Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources Minister Jamie Moses announced today.
“Our government is growing the critical mineral sector and creating good jobs for Manitobans by enabling the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund to advance projects in Manitoba,” said Moses.
Administered through the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce, the MMDF strategically funds economic development and mining projects of up to $300,000 per project that create Indigenous partnerships, increase local employment and stimulate investment in northern Manitoba. Since 2020, $14.7 million has been provided to 90 projects. This has leveraged over $128 million in private sector capital, generated over 660 jobs and 128 community and Indigenous partnerships.
“The MMDF has been an overwhelming success in providing funding that has resulted in increased opportunities for partnerships and development along with employment opportunities that have strengthened and greatly benefited communities in the north and across the province,” said Chuck Davidson, president and CEO, Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, and chair of the MMDF board. “The Manitoba government’s ongoing commitment to supporting and investing in projects that contribute to sustainable mineral development will help position Manitoba as a leader in the mineral sector.”
The Manitoba government has also partnered with the Mining Association of Manitoba Inc. to revise and modernize the guidelines for early mineral exploration. The guidelines provide clear direction to industry for undertaking early mineral exploration in the province to support and educate companies as they plan early mineral exploration projects to the highest environmental and industry standards. The new guidelines will also serve as a reference tool for Indigenous communities and regulatory bodies evaluating mineral exploration projects in Manitoba, said Moses.
The federal government has identified 34 minerals as critical for promoting green energy and sustainable economic success. Manitoba, which is sixth on the Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies’ Investment Global Attractiveness Index, has 30 of these 34 critical minerals. Critical minerals are crucial for Manitoba’s growth as a low-carbon leader and are essential to developing clean technologies, energy storage systems, electric vehicles and other technologies that advance net-zero targets, noted the minister.
For more information on critical minerals in Manitoba, visit www.manitoba.ca/minerals. For more information on the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund and the next intake, visit https://mmdf.ca/.
