Thunder Bay - Atikokan MPP Kevin Holland and Minister of Energy Stephen Lecce - (CJ Goater/Acadia Broadcasting)
The provincial government is providing a financial boost to Ontario’s mining sector.
The province is investing up to $10 million and launching the Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP) for 2025.
The funding and program are aimed at supporting early-stage mineral exploration.
The money will be used to help junior mining companies and licensed prospectors cover early exploration and development costs.
Successful mining exploration leads to future mining operations, boosting the province’s economy and creating jobs.
“Ontario is sitting on some of the most valuable critical mineral deposits in the world, and the global economy is knocking at our door,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines.
“Supporting early exploration is how we unlock that potential. Ontario has an ambitious plan to accelerate responsible resource development, along with cutting permitting timelines in half and enabling more exploration of our vast country. Together, we are identifying the next major Canadian resource projects that will create good-paying jobs, strengthen our economy and deliver lasting prosperity for communities across the province.”
This comes as global demand for critical minerals remains strong.
The province is also introducing two new features to the OJEP:
- New Prospector Stream: Licensed Ontario prospectors can now apply for up to $50,000 per project, with additional Indigenous Participation Support bringing the total potential funding to $65,000 per applicant
- Enhanced Indigenous Participation Funding: To support Indigenous employment and business opportunities has increased from $10,000 to $15,000 per project on top of core program funding
According to the province, early exploration typically has a low rate of success, with odds sitting around a one in 1,000 chance of an exploration project becoming a mine.
The uncertainty, combined with the need to operate in remote areas, makes it difficult for companies to secure the necessary investment needed to move projects forward.
The OJEP helps cover up to 50 per cent of eligible costs for exploration and development projects.
With the addition of the new funding stream and the enhanced Indigenous Participation funding, prospectors will now be eligible to receive up to $65,000 per project if they are eligible for enhanced Indigenous Participation Support, and junior mining companies will be eligible to receive up to $215,000 per project, if they are eligble for enhanced Indigenous Participation Support.
Applications for the sixth intake of OJEP will be accepted online through the Transfer Payment Ontario starting on Thursday and closing on July 31, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.
Funding through the program will be provided to approved projects on a first-come, first-served basis.
The previous round of OJEP funding is helping 80 junior mining companies finance early exploration projects, with 68 of them focused on critical minerals.
Ontario’s mining industry provides significant contributions to the economy, supplying roughly $14.4 billion to Ontario’s GDP annually and supporting around 74,000 jobs.
