France has signed a letter of intent with uranium-rich Saskatchewan to pursue more imports of strategic minerals.Saskatchewan Minister of Trade and Export Development Jeremy Harrison and French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness, Francophonie and French Nationals Abroad Franck Riester signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) April 15 to explore, develop and cooperate on new projects related to strategic mineral resources. The LOI was signed this morning at Saskatchewan Research Council.“We have had a longstanding relationship with France through Orano and our uranium industry for many years,” Harrison said. “I am delighted to expand and build on our relationship with France in strategic minerals sectors. This is especially important given our shared goals of lowering greenhouse gas emissions and making energy and mining more reliable and sustainable than ever before. Throughout our province’s history, our mining and resource sector has remained vital to our economy and labour force. New partnerships like this one strengthen that history and move us forward in our goals to build opportunities and protect communities.”The LOI will focus on the regions’ shared goals of improving supply chain security and sustainability, and research and development for critical minerals. It also includes intentions to share knowledge and develop projects related to critical mineral innovations.“This signing is a new step in the partnership between France and Canada to strengthen our cooperation on strategic minerals,” Riester said. “This agreement with the Saskatchewan government is one of the first we have signed with a Canadian province, after the one signed with Quebec last November. That says a lot about the priority we attach to our relationship with Saskatchewan. Strategic minerals are key for the ongoing transition to a low-carbon economy, whether it be building electric vehicles or producing the energy that our societies require, and therefore reinforcing France’ sovereignty. This partnership represents a major milestone in stepping up the bilateral efforts in this direction.” Saskatchewan is home to 23 critical minerals, including uranium, potash, rare earth elements, helium, lithium, copper and more. As the world transitions to a clean energy economy, global demand for these critical minerals is set to skyrocket 400% to 600% in future decades.The province says it is well-positioned to be the stable supplier the world needs. Establishing new partnerships in these industries is in line with Securing the Future, Saskatchewan’s Critical Minerals Strategy, and Securing the Next Decade of Growth, Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy.France is the world’s seventh-largest economy and Europe’s third-largest economy after Germany and the United Kingdom. In 2023, Saskatchewan’s exports to France totaled nearly C$220.1 million, a 68% increase from 2022.Riester was formerly Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness of France. In this capacity, he told the World Economic Forum in 2021, “[We] need consistency between our sustainable development agenda and our trade practices. Globally we must create more ambition and more standards, not a race to the bottom… Trade agreements can be a good tool to help us to move on [climate] issues. In all future trade agreements, the respect of the Paris Agreement will be an essential clause.”
France has signed a letter of intent with uranium-rich Saskatchewan to pursue more imports of strategic minerals.Saskatchewan Minister of Trade and Export Development Jeremy Harrison and French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness, Francophonie and French Nationals Abroad Franck Riester signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) April 15 to explore, develop and cooperate on new projects related to strategic mineral resources. The LOI was signed this morning at Saskatchewan Research Council.“We have had a longstanding relationship with France through Orano and our uranium industry for many years,” Harrison said. “I am delighted to expand and build on our relationship with France in strategic minerals sectors. This is especially important given our shared goals of lowering greenhouse gas emissions and making energy and mining more reliable and sustainable than ever before. Throughout our province’s history, our mining and resource sector has remained vital to our economy and labour force. New partnerships like this one strengthen that history and move us forward in our goals to build opportunities and protect communities.”The LOI will focus on the regions’ shared goals of improving supply chain security and sustainability, and research and development for critical minerals. It also includes intentions to share knowledge and develop projects related to critical mineral innovations.“This signing is a new step in the partnership between France and Canada to strengthen our cooperation on strategic minerals,” Riester said. “This agreement with the Saskatchewan government is one of the first we have signed with a Canadian province, after the one signed with Quebec last November. That says a lot about the priority we attach to our relationship with Saskatchewan. Strategic minerals are key for the ongoing transition to a low-carbon economy, whether it be building electric vehicles or producing the energy that our societies require, and therefore reinforcing France’ sovereignty. This partnership represents a major milestone in stepping up the bilateral efforts in this direction.” Saskatchewan is home to 23 critical minerals, including uranium, potash, rare earth elements, helium, lithium, copper and more. As the world transitions to a clean energy economy, global demand for these critical minerals is set to skyrocket 400% to 600% in future decades.The province says it is well-positioned to be the stable supplier the world needs. Establishing new partnerships in these industries is in line with Securing the Future, Saskatchewan’s Critical Minerals Strategy, and Securing the Next Decade of Growth, Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy.France is the world’s seventh-largest economy and Europe’s third-largest economy after Germany and the United Kingdom. In 2023, Saskatchewan’s exports to France totaled nearly C$220.1 million, a 68% increase from 2022.Riester was formerly Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness of France. In this capacity, he told the World Economic Forum in 2021, “[We] need consistency between our sustainable development agenda and our trade practices. Globally we must create more ambition and more standards, not a race to the bottom… Trade agreements can be a good tool to help us to move on [climate] issues. In all future trade agreements, the respect of the Paris Agreement will be an essential clause.”
