Critical minerals and materials are integral to almost everything we rely on. From the technologies that power our homes and industries, to the devices that connect us. They are increasingly important for clean energy, advanced manufacturing, information technology, and national defence, to name just a few and demand is rapidly rising.

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As global supply chains shift and geopolitical competition intensifies, countries are racing to secure the inputs needed for growing industrial and social needs. Western Canada can help meet these needs with its abundant critical mineral reserves, but currently lacks the midstream processing and refining capacity to convert raw resources into high-value materials. While this gap presents a strategic vulnerability, it’s also an opportunity for economic growth and trade diversification. Yet without coordinated action, the status quo persists: raw materials are exported, finished goods are imported, and the economic value of processing is captured elsewhere. 

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Fragmented policy and limited coordination across governments, Indigenous groups, and industry further risk Canada falling behind and letting others define the market. Closing these gaps requires building a circular, integrated value chain.  And there’s a window of opportunity to act now; seizing it will take moving beyond a commodity mindset and adopting a cluster-based, innovation-driven approach to reduce efforts being duplicated in isolation, build long-term cost-competitiveness, and keep more value at home.

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At the same time, the need to move swiftly cannot come at the expense of environmental sustainability, Indigenous economic reconciliation, or community benefit. Canada needs a responsible, integrated strategy to secure its place in the global landscape.