VANCOUVER, B.C., July 29, 2026 — The Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) is calling on the federal government to close a financing gap and follow through on their Canada Strong commitment to expand Canadian Exploration Expenses (CEE) eligibility to include project-advancement work such as engineering, technical studies and feasibility costs.
Canada has made critical minerals a clear economic and strategic priority. Moving a project from discovery to development still requires capital, and right now there is a gap in the system. In a letter sent to Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, AME argues that expanding CEE eligibility, or creating a new Mineral Project Advancement Tax Credit, would directly address the financing gap that is holding back Canada’s 171 advanced critical mineral projects.
“Project advancement is not optional or secondary work, it’s the stage that proves whether a discovery is technically sound, economically viable and ready to move toward construction. This is about ensuring a strong supply of early-stage projects into the pipeline to ensure new mining projects come online for generations to come in Canada,” said Todd Stone, President and CEO of AME. “If Canada wants more critical minerals, a more secure supply chain and greater economic resilience, we need to support the work that gets discoveries there.”
The letter has been signed by over 65 companies and organizations and growing from across the mineral exploration sector, including Newmont, 1911 Gold, the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), and the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) – and that number continues to grow as AME builds momentum with explorers and provincial governments across the country.
“We’re hearing the same message from companies and communities in every region: this is a practical, targeted fix that lets Canada turn its geological potential into real projects. Expanding CEE eligibility would help reduce risk, improve investor confidence and allow us to have a much needed greater supply of minerals for tomorrow,” Stone said.
Since the launch of Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy in 2022, only one critical mineral mine has entered commercial production, and only one project has received a positive federal environmental assessment decision. Without support at this stage, too many projects stall between discovery and construction, even when the geology is strong, and the long-term opportunity is clear.
What member companies are saying:
“As we advance our nickel projects towards development, this is exactly the kind of support that helps a company like ours accelerate the journey between discovery and construction. Every step forward depends on being able to fund the technical work that demonstrates a project’s technical, economic, and environmental feasibility. The expansion of the CEE would be invaluable to funding that work and ultimately advancing our project to a positive final investment decision.” –Martin Turenne, FPX Nickel President & CEO.
“This is a straightforward and worthwhile policy expansion that would help mineral companies through the feasibility process, a process that is fraught with capital constraints and immense challenges. The expansion of CEE as outlined is an elegant support method that provides increased government support through increased investment, truly a win-win. By enacting what was already promised by this government, we could see more projects move from concept to development, which in turn brings increased realized value to the people of Canada. We are proud to support AME’s efforts to make this happen.” –Darcy Vis, Tripoint Geological Services President
Add Your Name to The Letter
AME is asking organizations across Canada’s mineral exploration and mining sector to add their name to the industry letter and support this call to action. A strong, united industry voice will help show federal decision-makers that the development-stage financing gap is a sector-wide concern and that practical tax policy changes are needed to help good discoveries become mines.
AME Contact:
Stephanie Marshall-White
604.404.1031
[email protected]