On June 20, 2019, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Canada and the U.S. will develop a joint action plan on critical minerals collaboration. This plan will complement the U.S. Federal Critical Minerals Strategy and the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan, and seek to strengthen North American production capacity and reduce reliance on global value chains for the sourcing and production of these materials.
Canada is a top ten global producer of several critical and strategic minerals, including aluminum, nickel, cobalt, platinum and uranium – and currently produces 13 of the 35 minerals on the U.S. critical minerals list. Increasing and diversifying Canadian production of critical minerals has the potential to enhance North American security and increase bilateral trade in this area. Building North American supply chains from mineral exploration to production for these elements, found in a wide array of products ranging from military equipment to consumer electronics, also presents an important opportunity for job creation and economic growth in both countries, while also ensuring responsible mining practices.
