TORONTO — Ontario and the United Kingdom have signed a new agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation on critical minerals and reducing reliance on foreign-controlled supply chains.Ontario Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce and United Kingdom Industry Minister Chris McDonald signed a Statement of Intent in London on Monday. The agreement commits both jurisdictions to work together on developing secure and resilient critical mineral supply chains.The agreement comes as governments and industries seek greater access to minerals used in batteries, electric vehicles, defence technologies, advanced manufacturing and energy infrastructure. Ontario officials cited concerns about China's dominance in the global critical minerals market, noting the country controls a significant share of production and processing capacity for minerals such as rare earth elements, lithium and cobalt.Under the agreement, Ontario and the UK will collaborate in four key areas: attracting investment, advancing research and innovation, developing supply chains and supporting economic partnerships with Indigenous communities.Lecce said the agreement reflects growing efforts among allied countries to secure access to resources considered essential to economic and national security."Ontario is home to the resources, talent and world-class mining expertise global allies are looking for," Lecce said in a statement. "Together with the United Kingdom, we are laying the foundation for a new era of allied economic cooperation.".The agreement calls for greater coordination between governments, industry, financial institutions and academic organizations to encourage investment in Ontario's critical minerals sector. It also includes commitments to share research, geoscience data and technological developments across the critical minerals value chain.McDonald said the partnership supports the UK's efforts to strengthen supply chains as global demand for critical minerals increases."We need critical minerals for the phones we use to the cars we drive, and this new partnership with Ontario shows our commitment to building resilient supply chains with allies," McDonald said.Ontario has positioned itself as a major source of critical minerals, with deposits of nickel, lithium, cobalt, graphite, copper and rare earth elements located throughout the province. The provincial government says recent measures, including the Critical Minerals Processing Fund and the One Project, One Process framework, have helped improve investment certainty and reduce regulatory timelines for mining projects.According to the province, Ontario's mining sector contributes approximately $14.4 billion annually to provincial gross domestic product and supports about 74,000 direct and indirect jobs.Several industry organizations and mining companies welcomed the agreement, including the Ontario Mining Association, Glencore, Vale Base Metals, Anglo American and First Class Metals. Supporters said the partnership could strengthen international supply chains, attract investment and increase collaboration between Ontario and UK mining sectors.The agreement forms part of Ontario's broader Critical Minerals Strategy, which seeks to expand exploration, processing and development of minerals considered essential to emerging technologies and industrial growth.
