OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Tuesday that construction is beginning on Nouveau Monde Graphite’s Matawinie graphite mine project in Quebec.Speaking in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Carney said the project represents part of Ottawa’s broader push to strengthen Canada’s critical mineral supply chains and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.“Canada has what the world wants, and we’re moving at speed to get it to market,” Carney said.“The Matawinie Mine will position Canada as a choice supplier of graphite in a world where demand is rapidly outpacing supply.”The federal government says it will become the largest graphite mine in North America and the G7.The federal government also says the project was referred to Ottawa’s new Major Projects Office six months ago and has now reached the construction phase following coordination between multiple federal departments and agencies..Once operational, the mine is expected to produce up to 106,000 tonnes of graphite annually.Graphite is considered a key strategic mineral used in electric vehicle batteries, energy storage systems, aerospace technology and defence manufacturing.The federal government says the project will create more than 1,000 jobs and attract nearly $2 billion in investment.Nouveau Monde Graphite also plans to integrate the mine with a battery material processing facility in Bécancour, Que., creating what Ottawa describes as Canada’s first fully integrated graphite operation from extraction to refining.Both facilities are expected to rely primarily on Quebec hydroelectricity under what the government calls an “all-electric production model” designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional graphite production.The project also forms part of Carney’s broader industrial strategy centred around critical minerals, battery manufacturing and electric vehicle supply chains.The Prime Minister’s Office said the Major Projects Office helped coordinate financing support, regulatory approvals and commercial agreements related to the project, including potential federal stockpiling arrangements.The announcement comes as Canada and several western allies increasingly seek to reduce reliance on Chinese critical mineral supply chains amid growing geopolitical tensions and global competition for battery materials.“In an increasingly divided and uncertain world, Canada’s new government is focused on what we can control,” Carney said in a statement.“We are building a stronger, more independent, more resilient economy.”
