Without Infrastructure, There Is No Mining or Energy: Canada's Plan to Accelerate Investments

As Argentina debates how to resolve the logistical bottlenecks that hinder the growth of Vaca Muerta and metal mining and lithium, Canada has decided to make infrastructure a state policy to strengthen its position within global supply chains for critical minerals.

Far from limiting itself to tax incentives or benefits for companies, Ottawa has launched a comprehensive strategy that combines billions of dollars in infrastructure projects, specific financing for mining projects, expedited environmental permits, indigenous participation, and territorial planning.

The heart of this strategy is the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF), a federal fund aimed at financing those projects that often determine whether a mining project gets built: roads, power lines, ports, rail infrastructure, energy systems, and logistical connections.

This initiative was recently analyzed by the Canadian Mining Journal in an article authored by Cody Ryckman, leader of Innovation and Technology at Stantec, and Scott Trusler, vice president of the mining sector of the company.

Experts argue that "the true differentiating factor will not only be mineral resources, but the ability to build the systems that allow for sustainable and reliable production."

Much More Than Mines: Building the Ecosystem

The Canadian reflection finds a strong parallel with Argentina. Both countries have enormous mineral resources, but many projects face similar obstacles: lack of permanent roads, insufficient electrical capacity, lack of rail infrastructure, scarcity of specialized ports, and regulatory delays. Ámbito revealed days ago a report circulating among governors about an infrastructure limit for Vaca Muerta and mining.

This issue does not only affect mining. It also impacts the development of Vaca Muerta, for example, where the growing demand for silica sand requires expanding logistical corridors, building new rail yards, and optimizing routes to reduce costs. Or the need to build or expand oil or gas pipelines, along with complementary works such as aqueducts and wastewater treatment plants, not only to evacuate hydrocarbon production but also to export it and generate foreign currency for the country.

The same occurs with numerous copper projects in San Juan, Salta, Mendoza, or Catamarca, which need bi-oceanic corridors, better rail connections to Atlantic or Pacific ports, and basic works for nearby communities, such as housing, hospitals, schools, high and low voltage lines, logistics centers, and services.

The conclusion of the Canadian report is clear: without enabling infrastructure, even the best natural resources lose competitiveness.

The Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF)

The main tool of the Canadian strategy is the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF), a federal program endowed with 1.5 billion Canadian dollars (about 1.09 billion USD) that will be in effect until March 31, 2030, and is administered by Natural Resources Canada. Its goal is to finance transportation and clean energy infrastructure that enables the development and expansion of critical mineral production, while simultaneously strengthening strategic supply chains for the energy transition.

The logic behind the program is based on a simple premise: numerous mining projects do not fail due to a lack of geological resources, but because the cost of building roads, power transmission lines, ports, or access makes private investment economically unviable. In light of this scenario, the state decided to assume part of the risk by financing shared-use infrastructure that subsequently benefits multiple mining ventures, communities, and other productive activities.

The fund operates through two main lines of financing. The first corresponds to the grant program for Indigenous peoples, aimed at strengthening the participation of Indigenous communities in the planning and development of infrastructure projects related to critical minerals. The second consists of a funding scheme for infrastructure, aimed at financing initiatives both in the pre-construction stage and those ready to begin construction.

The Indigenous program has approximately 2.2 million USD, with individual contributions ranging from 109,000 to 146,000 USD per organization, aimed at developing technical capacities, feasibility studies, territorial planning, consultation processes, and early participation.

The most recent call for the infrastructure component mobilizes around 365 million USD for transportation and energy projects, while since its launch in 2023, the CMIF has already committed about 308 million USD for 38 projects distributed across Canada, according to official statistics updated to March 2026.

The approved projects represent 19 critical minerals, including lithium, copper, nickel, cobalt, rare earths, uranium, zinc, tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, germanium, gallium, and platinum group metals.

The portfolio currently includes eight projects ready to start construction and 30 initiatives in the pre-construction phase. Of the total, 21 correspond to energy infrastructure, 12 to transportation infrastructure, and five combine both categories, reflecting a comprehensive strategy that considers infrastructure as the main enabler of mining development.

More than financing mines, the Canadian government decided to finance the necessary conditions for those mines to be built.

Roads, electricity, and logistics before production

The projects supported by the CMIF clearly show the vision of the Canadian government. Instead of focusing exclusively on mining operations, the program prioritizes those works that reduce risks and costs for the entire productive ecosystem.

Among the funded initiatives are access roads for projects involving lithium, copper, nickel, uranium, and rare earth elements; new power transmission lines; hydroelectric expansions; interconnections between provinces; railway infrastructure; improvements in logistics corridors; and electric charging facilities for mining equipment.

Notable developments include the Taltson hydroelectric expansion, the electrical interconnection between Yukon and British Columbia, new transmission lines for mines in northwestern Canada, infrastructure for the PAK lithium project, works for the Wicheeda rare earth project, energy improvements for Highland Valley Copper, and new roads aimed at projects such as Galore Creek, Baptiste, Corner Bay, Ashram, and Pink Lithium-Tantalum, among many others.

In parallel, the Indigenous Grants Program funds engineering studies, planning of logistics corridors, environmental analyses, institutional strengthening, and technical training to ensure that indigenous communities participate from the initial stages of projects and can become partners in development.

The CMIF Indigenous Grants Program finances planning activities, institutional strengthening, early consultations, and technical capacity development. The goal is for communities to participate not only as consulted actors but also as economic partners.

One cited example is the participation of the Selkirk First Nation at the Minto Mine, where greater indigenous involvement in governance and long-term economic benefit generation is promoted. The Grays Bay road and port project also stands out, developed through an inuit-owned partnership, a conception that land is not a commercial or private asset, but a collective and shared resource where no one can own the soil. The acquisition of the historic Minto mine by the Selkirk First Nation marked a milestone in Canadian mining: for the first time, a predominantly indigenous-owned company took control of an established mining operation, consolidating a model that seeks to combine resource development, economic autonomy, and direct participation of indigenous communities.

The new "First and Last Mile" Fund

Canada took an additional step with the creation of the First and Last Mile Fund, designed to address one of the most common problems in mining projects.

Often, there are main roads or regional infrastructure, but the last kilometers that effectively connect a mine to that network are missing. These small stretches often represent very high investments for a single company.

The new fund aims precisely to cover those infrastructure gaps that separate an exploration project from a future commercial operation.

According to the Canadian Mining Journal, the goal is to improve predictability for investors and accelerate the construction of new developments.

A key piece of the Canadian strategy is the Major Projects Office (MPO). The office acts as a coordinating body between ministries and regulatory agencies to simplify approval processes.

The federal government has set a goal to reduce the time required to obtain federal permits to approximately two years. The MPO does not eliminate environmental controls. Its role is to coordinate agencies, avoid overlaps, and reduce administrative times that have affected Canadian competitiveness for years.

In recent months, the MPO has incorporated large-scale strategic initiatives. Among them stands out the Iqaluit Nukkiksautiit Hydroelectric Project, designed to supply clean energy to northern Canada and reduce dependence on diesel.

Also included is the Arctic Security and Economic Corridor, an infrastructure corridor that combines economic, logistical, and national defense objectives through new routes, port infrastructure, and energy connections in the Arctic.

Both projects are part of a broader strategy aimed at transforming northern Canada into a new economic development hub.

However, in parallel, last March the Canadian government announced a package of nearly $25 billion aimed at developing the north and strengthening Arctic security. Among the prioritized projects are the Mackenzie Valley Highway; the Taltson hydroelectric expansion; the Grays Bay road and port; and energy and logistics infrastructure for remote communities.

Beyond its strategic component, the economic objective is clear: to prepare new regions to receive mining investments just as several major diamond deposits approach the end of their life cycle.

Responsible Mining and Greater Predictability

Canadian competitiveness does not rest solely on infrastructure. The Mining Association of Canada has been promoting the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) program for years, considered one of the most demanding ESG standards in the industry.

The system requires companies to publish verifiable indicators at each operation level and submit them to independent audits. Its adoption in other jurisdictions, including Australia, has strengthened the international reputation of the Canadian model.

In parallel, provinces like Ontario are advancing with the "One Project, One Process" scheme, which seeks to coordinate all provincial permits under a single administrative process, reducing duplications and providing greater predictability.

Ontario made the "One Project, One Process" model law, which, as explained by Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce at the Toronto Stock Exchange, is a reform that centralizes mining approvals in a single window, reduces processing times by up to 50%, and sets a maximum period of 24 months to authorize new projects, aiming to position itself as the jurisdiction with the fastest mining permits in the industrialized world.

The Mirror for Argentina

The Canadian experience leaves an inevitable question for Argentina. The country possesses some of the world's largest resources of copper, lithium, gold, and unconventional gas, but continues to face infrastructure constraints similar to those that Canada decided to address through a long-term public policy.

The challenges range from rail corridors to export minerals to the Atlantic and Pacific ports, to mountain routes, high-voltage lines, energy infrastructure, housing, hospitals, connectivity, schools, and services for the communities where the projects are developed.

The problem also extends to Vaca Muerta. One of the major logistical bottlenecks is the supply of silica sands for hydraulic fracturing. Among the alternatives being considered by the industry is the development of a multimodal corridor that would allow the transport of sand produced in Entre Ríos via waterways, unloading it at strategic ports, and completing the journey to Neuquén using rail and trucks. Such a scheme would significantly reduce logistical costs and alleviate the growing pressure on road infrastructure.

In short, the Canadian strategy brings to the table a debate that is also beginning to take hold in Argentina: whether infrastructure should continue to arrive after investments or whether, on the contrary, it should be planned beforehand to become the main catalyst for mining and energy development. This seems to be one of the greatest competitive advantages that Canada seeks to build to establish itself as a strategic supplier of critical minerals in global supply chains.