Ontario fast tracks Crawford Nickel project

The government of Ontario, Canada, fast-tracked Canada Nickel Company's Crawford Nickel Project under its new streamlined "One Project, One Process" approval framework, the Ministry of Energy and Mines said Jan. 12.

The project is expected to attract $5 billion in investment and will tap into the world's second-largest nickel reserves, the ministry said. The operation will include mining, processing and downstream manufacturing facilities to serve the electric vehicle battery and stainless steel markets. The integrated approach aims to capture more value within Ontario's borders.

In October 2025, US President Donald Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on all Canadian imports in response to an anti-tariff ad campaign run by the provincial government of Ontario, although nickel and many metals are exempt under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

"As President Trump takes aim at our economy, Ontario is moving at lightning speed to open this 100% Canadian-owned mine," Stephen Lecce, Ontario minister of Energy and Mines, said in a statement.

The project's mineral reserve estimate is 1.7 million metric tons and an expected 41-year mine life, the company said. The mine has a combined reserves and resource of 9.8 million metric tons, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Beyond nickel, Crawford has reserves and resources of cobalt, palladium and platinum, according to Market Intelligence. The project will also supply what the company described as North America's only domestic chromium supply, addressing critical mineral security concerns across multiple sectors.

Crawford became the second project designated under Ontario's "One Project, One Process" framework, launched in October, following Frontier Lithium's PAK Project. The approach aims to reduce government review times by 50%.

The federal government referred Crawford to its Major Project Office for review in November 2025, indicating coordination between provincial acceleration efforts and federal oversight. Canada Nickel expects to begin construction by the end of 2026 if financing and remaining permits are secured.

Environmental considerations include projected emissions 90% below global averages for nickel production.