While Canada has the minerals and metals the world needs, strong environmental and labour standards and significant untapped potential, it must improve the efficiency and predictability of project approvals, strengthen trade-enabling infrastructure and attract investment if the country is to continue competing globally and meet growing demand from allies for responsibly produced minerals and metals, Mining Association of Canada (MAC) president and CEO Pierre Gratton has said.

In its 2026 'Facts & Figures – The state of Canada's Mining industry' report, the association reveals that while the country remains a leading global producer of responsibly mined, low-carbon minerals and metals, the sector has experienced limited real growth over nearly two decades, despite rising global demand and strong commodity prices.

The MAC notes that production of several key commodities, including copper, nickel and iron-ore, has declined over the past decade, raising concerns about Canada's long-term competitiveness and ability to supply allies with the minerals and metals needed for defence, energy and advanced manufacturing.

On the other hand, Canada has become the world's fourth-largest gold producer, while the country's output of other key commodities such as potash, graphite and lithium is also expected to grow.

The report highlights that the mining sector contributed $111-billion to the country's GDP in 2024, accounting for 3.6% of the economy. It also directly employed 438 000 people and supported an additional 272 000 indirect jobs across the country.

Canada produces 60 minerals and metals and ranks among the world's biggest producers of potash, uranium, niobium, cadmium and palladium.

In 2024, Canada's mining exports totalled $152-billion, while gold exports continued to grow significantly, averaging $4.3-billion a month during the first ten months of 2025.

MAC acknowledges the importance of recent federal measures intended to strengthen the country's mining sector, including expanded eligibility for exploration and clean technology tax credits, as well as new infrastructure and strategic investment initiatives announced in Budget 2025; however, it asserts that the speed and effectiveness of the implementation of these measures will be key to ensuring the measures reach their stated goals.

"Future measures, such as including feasibility and other development-stage studies in the Canadian Exploration Expense and making development costs for brownfield mine expansions fully eligible for tax credits, would further strengthen Canada's competitiveness and help accelerate project development," the association states.

Further, it emphasises that the country must improve federal and provincial coordination in mine permitting and approvals; invest in trade-enabling infrastructure; strengthen geoscience and mineral resource assessments; and improve investment conditions to support project development and competitiveness across the mining sector.

"Mining projects in Canada continue to navigate multiple layers of provincial and federal approvals before construction can begin. While governments have initiated reforms to improve regulatory processes, further action is needed to reduce duplication, improve coordination and provide greater certainty and predictability for project proponents while maintaining strong environmental standards and respecting Indigenous rights."