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A Policy Win for Ontario’s Engineers: Advancing the Critical Minerals Strategy

The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) is proud to celebrate a significant milestone in advancing Ontario’s critical minerals strategy. In 2021, OSPE submitted a comprehensive response to the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO), titled Ontario’s Critical Minerals Framework (ERO-019-3281). This report provided detailed recommendations on fostering sustainable development, innovation, and strategic foresight in managing critical minerals.

We are pleased to see that the Ontario government’s recently announced critical minerals supply chain strategy (Ontario, 2025) reflects many of the key priorities and recommendations identified in our framework. This is not just a win for policy but also a testament to the invaluable contributions of Ontario’s engineers in shaping a sustainable and forward-looking resource economy.

OSPE’s Ontario’s Critical Minerals Framework emphasized several critical areas, including:

  1. Sustainable Resource Development: Advocating for environmentally responsible mining practices and innovative technologies to minimize environmental impact.
  2. Building a Local Supply Chain: Encouraging the development of a domestic critical minerals supply chain to reduce reliance on global markets and bolster Ontario’s economic resilience.
  3. Promoting Research and Innovation: Supporting research initiatives and fostering partnerships between academia, industry, and government to develop advanced extraction, processing, and recycling technologies.
  4. Workforce Development: Highlighting the need for a skilled workforce, with investments in education and training to prepare engineers for the evolving demands of the critical minerals sector.
  5. Indigenous Collaboration: Stressing the importance of working collaboratively with Indigenous communities, respecting their rights, and ensuring mutual benefits from critical mineral projects.

 

The government’s critical minerals supply chain strategy aligns closely with these recommendations, particularly in its focus on localizing the supply chain, promoting innovation, and fostering sustainability. This alignment underscores the value of the engineering profession’s expertise in addressing complex challenges and shaping practical, impactful policies.

This achievement highlights the critical role engineers can play in driving Ontario’s economic and environmental priorities. Engineers bring unique problem-solving capabilities, technical knowledge, and a commitment to ethical and sustainable practices. Their work is fundamental in addressing global challenges like resource scarcity, climate change, and the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The alignment between OSPE’s recommendations and the government’s actions is a reminder of how vital it is to integrate engineering perspectives into public policy. It also demonstrates the importance of collaboration between professional organizations, government bodies, and stakeholders in crafting solutions that benefit all Ontarians.

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