Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program (CMRDD)

Critical Minerals RDD Program — EOI

Supports critical minerals innovation through processing, recycling, and circular economy development for cleaner materials ecosystems.

The Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program (CMRDD), administered by Natural Resources Canada, supports innovative processing, recycling, and circular technologies for Canada's critical minerals sector. Since its launch in 2021, CMRDD has allocated CAD 246.3 million in federal funding. At the PDAC Convention on March 3, 2026, Minister Hodgson announced up to CAD 165.2 million for 22 Canadian projects, unlocking CAD 434 million in total critical minerals project investment across eight provinces. Grants are capped at CAD 5 million per project. The programme focuses on closing technology gaps in critical mineral processing, accelerating commercial deployment in Canada, and supporting recycling and circular economy approaches for critical mineral supply chains.

CMRDD accepts Expressions of Interest on a continuous basis through the NRCan applicant portal, with no fixed intake windows. This pipeline model allows applicants to submit at any time and have their project assessed against programme priorities as they evolve. Eligible applicants include Canadian companies, research institutions, consortia, and Indigenous organisations. The match-funding percentage is not specified in published programme materials; applicants should confirm cost-share requirements directly with NRCan. The programme is denominated in Canadian dollars.

CMRDD is most relevant to Canadian organisations working on technologies for processing critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements — particularly those with projects at the demonstration or early commercial deployment stage. Given the continuous intake model, competitive applicants should prepare a strong EOI that documents the technology gap being addressed, the commercial pathway in Canada, and the project's alignment with Canada's Critical Minerals Strategy. Contact: criticalmineralsrdd-minerauxcritiquesrdd@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.