W

hile those of us working in and around the mining industry understand its importance, over the past year or so, I have noticed that my friends and family—who previously considered my knowledge of mining to be rather niche—have started to ask me questions about things like critical minerals and supply chains. The industry is now at the centre of conversations about global security and economic strategy.

It was a theme I saw repeatedly at this year’s PDAC, which was held from March 1 to 4 in Toronto. “We are now no longer just the mining industry,” said Don Lindsay, BHP director and retired Teck CEO, in his Mining Industry Outlook Keynote on March 2. “We are now the critical minerals industry. Prime ministers and presidents now talk about accelerating permits and development.”

Indeed, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson stated in a speech at PDAC that we are at a “hinge moment” in Canadian history, emphasizing that minerals are now “central to power, economics, defence and the race to net zero.”

He noted that critical minerals underpin applications such as defence systems and technologies, advanced computing, telecommunications and clean technologies. The federal government sees fast-tracking domestic critical minerals production as “crucial to our security, sovereignty and national defence,” which is reflected in Canada’s first Defence Industrial Strategy announced on Feb. 17.

Hodgson used the convention to announce a comprehensive strategy to transform Canada into a “resource superpower,” led by the official launch of the $1.5 billion First and Last Mile Fund to address infrastructure gaps that are key to developing domestic critical minerals supply chains. He also announced a $165.2 million investment in 22 mining projects to accelerate planning, development and processing capacity across the country.

Beyond domestic policy, Canada is also positioning itself globally as “the anchor of allied supply chains.” Hodgson announced the second round of partnerships under the Critical Minerals Production Alliance—an initiative that was launched in June 2025 during Canada’s G7 presidency—consisting of 30 new partnerships across 10 allied countries, the European Union and the United Nations.

He noted that overreliance on concentrated foreign supply chains creates strategic vulnerabilities for Canada and its allies, and he positioned Canada as an alternative that can provide stability, transparency and reliability to its trading partners. “Instead of reliance on hegemons, investing in Canada offers diverse, low-carbon, rule-of-law-based production,” he said, adding that Canada will never use its resources as “coercive tools” but as “tools to build a stronger G7, a stronger NATO and a more secure world for all our allies.”

The question now is not whether critical minerals matter, but how quickly Canada can act. Permitting timelines, infrastructure gaps and investment certainty will determine whether the country can truly position itself as “the anchor of allied supply chains”—or risk falling behind.