The Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF) Indigenous Grants stream provides Indigenous groups impacted by critical minerals infrastructure projects with resources to actively engage on, participate in and benefit from critical minerals development. The program supports engagement, capacity building and knowledge gathering activities related to clean energy and transportation infrastructure that enables critical minerals production.
Program Objectives:
Eligible Initiative Activities:
1. Engagement activities: Meetings and consultations about eligible infrastructure projects linked to critical minerals development, including in-person or virtual engagement with government, industry, rights holders, stakeholders and partners.
2. Capacity building: Securing or improving organizational skills, knowledge and tools to enable participation in discussions about clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects linked to critical minerals development.
3. Knowledge gathering and sharing: Collection and distribution of Indigenous and Western knowledge supporting Indigenous participation in eligible infrastructure projects. Activities may be targeted (e.g., gathering traditional knowledge for mine access road feasibility study) or broad (e.g., publishing community-led report on potential impacts and benefits of proposed infrastructure).
Eligible Infrastructure:
Clean energy or transportation infrastructure enabling critical minerals development, whether in planning stages (obtaining permits, conducting assessments) or already underway. Projects may or may not proceed to completion and may qualify for CMIF contribution funding.
Program Updates for 2025:
Eligible expenses:
Ineligible expenses:
*Note: Non-Indigenous organizations must include letter of endorsement signed by leadership of Indigenous partner organization confirming the partnership.
