On January 13, 2026, the Province of Ontario formally named Canada Nickel’s 100% Canadian-owned Crawford Nickel Project as the second development to receive streamlined permitting under its new One Project, One Process (1P1P) framework. The designation aligns provincial ministries on unified timelines and information sharing, reflecting the advanced engineering state and strategic importance of Crawford within Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy. Having submitted the country’s first Impact Statement under the amended federal Impact Assessment Act in November 2024 and referred to the federal Major Projects Office in November 2025, the Project now benefits from coordinated reviews intended to accelerate regulatory approvals without compromising environmental stewardship or Indigenous consultation commitments.

Independent analysis estimates that over its initial 40-year mine life, Crawford will generate more than $70 billion in Canadian GDP—approximately $67 billion accruing to Ontario—and support a total of 4,000 jobs (1,000 direct, 3,000 indirect and induced). Using its patented In-Process Tailings Carbonation technology, the Project is projected to permanently sequester up to 1.5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year, positioning Crawford as one of Canada’s largest carbon storage facilities and the world’s first net-zero-carbon nickel mine. Construction is targeted to commence by year-end 2026, anchored by a domestic nickel supply chain that spans mining, processing and alloy production in Northeastern Ontario.

Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Mines highlighted the creation of 4,000 Canadian jobs and the goal of reducing global reliance on non-Western critical mineral sources. Canada Nickel’s CEO emphasized the Project’s role in establishing a low-carbon mining and clean-metals corridor, and noted Crawford is the only Canadian mine to secure parallel federal and provincial endorsements. The Company will collaborate with Ontario’s newly announced Critical Minerals Processing Fund and maintain ongoing consultations with Indigenous Nations to ensure regulatory rigor and community engagement standards remain highest as it advances detailed engineering, financing and land-use planning.