Canada Nickel Company has received approval from the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature for its Crawford project in the Timmins Nickel District in north-eastern Ontario.
The positive decision statement from the Minister for the Crawford Nickel Project is said to be the first mining approval granted under Canada’s amended Impact Assessment Act since 2019.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
This sets a precedent for processing major natural resource projects under the updated regulations.
The Government of Canada referred Crawford to the Major Projects Office. It is among the initial projects to progress under Ontario’s One Project, One Process framework.
This approval not only highlights its significance but also opens opportunities for similar projects within the district.
Canada Nickel Company CEO Mark Selby said: “I am very proud of our team, which completed this key federal permit in just four years and advanced Crawford from its fifth drill-hole through feasibility study to today’s milestone in under seven years – substantially faster than typically required for large-scale projects.
“We thank the minister and the federal government for their support of Crawford and appreciate the thorough work undertaken by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. We look forward to continuing to advance Crawford towards a construction decision in 2027.”
Canada Nickel said that Crawford is set to become the largest nickel sulphide operation in the Western world and the only primary source of chromium in North America.
These metals play crucial roles in industries such as defence, aerospace and electric vehicle batteries.
Crawford aligns with the company’s vision to develop a zero-carbon industrial cluster in north-eastern Ontario, leveraging new carbon mineralisation and processing technologies.
The company has also prioritised partnerships with indigenous communities. Taykwa Tagamou Nation has made a $20m (C$28.08m) equity investment. Additionally, infrastructure contracting agreements with Wabun Tribal Council First Nations aim to ensure sustained economic participation.
Following the federal approval, Canada Nickel plans to advance detailed engineering work, secure project financing and obtain the remaining permits necessary for construction.
