Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news concerning metals and non-metals miners, explorers and prospectors. Every Monday, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track the upstream and downstream forces affecting Mining? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Manufacturing and Oil & Gas.

Dates: 2025-12-14 to 2025-12-20

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🇨🇦 Canadian Federal Government News
• 🗺️ Canadian Provincial Government News
• 💬 Government Consultations
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

Canadian Federal Government News

Canada Concludes Nearly $5 Million in FedNor Funding for Mining and Business Growth Across Northern Ontario

On December 18, 2025, Parliamentary Secretary Pauline Rochefort announced $4,929,180 in FedNor funding for six projects aimed at business and community growth in Temiskaming Shores and throughout Northern Ontario. The funding supports several initiatives, including the establishment of the Northern Ontario Mining Showcase pavilions at the 2026 PDAC and CIM conventions, directly benefiting nearly 150 businesses and organizations seeking expanded sales and exports. B & G Industrial Services receives $1,000,135 for constructing a new manufacturing facility and expanding repair operations, while Mid North Recycling is allocated $380,150 for new technology integration to scale up metal recycling. Koch Grain Elevator gains $499,895 for a new rail terminal in the Temiskaming District. A $1.6 million non-repayable investment enables the South Temiskaming Community Futures Development Corporation to continue offering business counselling for five years. The City of Temiskaming Shores secures $297,000 to hire a regional Economic Development Officer supporting priorities in land development, mining, and agriculture. These investments are distributed via FedNor’s core programs and the Regional Growth Through Innovation Fund.

Sources: www.canada.ca, www.canada.ca

Government of Canada Issues Final Regulations to Lower Methane Emissions in Oil and Gas and Landfills

On December 16, 2025, Minister Julie Dabrusin announced final methane emission reduction regulations targeting both oil and gas operations and municipal solid waste landfills across Canada. The enhanced requirements build on prior regulations by mandating improved leak detection and repair standards, stricter venting controls, and heightened monitoring for both sectors. The regulations cover onshore oil and gas production, LNG facilities, and transmission, along with publicly and privately owned landfills. Estimated cumulative emissions reductions between 2028 and 2040 are 304 Mt CO2e and 1,593 kt of VOCs, with projected $36.3 billion in climate impact avoidance and $257 million in health savings. The regulations are expected to stimulate the clean tech sector, with up to 34,000 jobs projected in clean technology roles between 2027 and 2040. These measures apply varying compliance timelines, with stronger leak and detection repair programs anticipated for upstream sector operators.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Minister Dabrusin Announces Nearly $16 Million for Methane Emissions Reduction Projects Nationwide

Minister Julie Dabrusin, representing Natural Resources Canada, announced the allocation of close to $16 million to fund eight Canadian methane emissions reduction technology projects under the Energy Innovation Program. Funded recipients include Carleton University, NXTSENS Microsystems, Spero Analytics, CSA Group, McGill University, SensorUp Inc., Kuva Canada, and the University of British Columbia, in cities such as Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, and Vancouver. Projects span real-time mesh networks for methane monitoring, national programs for MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification), drone-mounted detection platforms, multi-sensor inventory systems, and new sensor technology. Additional grants support aerial surveys along LNG pipelines in BC. These initiatives, supporting Canada’s Methane Centre of Excellence, are designed to enhance detection standards, reporting, and mitigation approaches in the oil and gas and landfill sectors.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Canada Forms Independent Taxonomy Council for Sustainable Investment Guidelines

On December 18, 2025, Minister François-Philippe Champagne confirmed the selection of the Canadian Climate Institute to lead development of Canadian sustainable investment guidelines, in collaboration with Business Future Pathways. These voluntary guidelines aim to align Canada’s taxonomy with leading international science-based standards and frameworks, supporting investor, lender, and stakeholder identification of "green" and "transition" investments. An independent Taxonomy Council, including technical experts from industry, finance, academia, and Indigenous groups, will provide governance and oversight. The Council will prioritize guideline development for three economic sectors by the end of 2026, extending to three additional sectors in 2027. Finalization is scheduled in tandem with stakeholder engagement and the establishment of sector-specific working groups.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Environment and Climate Change Canada Fines Quebec Metallurgical Company for Non-Compliance

On December 17, 2025, Beausite Métal inc., operating in Val-des-Sources, Quebec, was fined $40,000 for failing to comply with an environmental protection compliance order under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. The order, confirmed by the Environmental Protection Tribunal, required disposal and destruction of PCB-contaminated equipment found to exceed regulatory limits after a May 2022 site inspection. The company must now implement measures to restore compliance. The fine is directed to the Environmental Damages Fund, and Beausite Métal inc. will be listed on the Environmental Offenders Registry.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Canada Launches Engagement to Strengthen Industrial Carbon Pricing Standards

On December 19, 2025, Environment and Climate Change Canada initiated engagement to revise minimum federal benchmark criteria for industrial carbon pricing. The consultation aims to inform 2026 policy changes, ensuring all Canadian industrial carbon pricing systems drive emissions reductions and promote investment certainty for decarbonization projects. Carbon pricing forms a major pillar of Budget 2025’s Climate Competitiveness Strategy, with the clean technology sector contributing $40.6 billion to GDP and employing over 224,000 Canadians in 2023. Input collected will focus on maintaining industrial competitiveness while meeting Canadian climate and economic policy objectives.

Sources: www.canada.ca

PrairiesCan Awarded $1 Million to Core Design Ltd. to Offset Tariff Impacts and Expand Oilfield Tool Manufacturing

On December 19, 2025, Minister Eleanor Olszewski announced a $1 million investment by Prairies Economic Development Canada in Core Design Ltd., Leduc, Alberta, to facilitate domestic and international market expansion in custom steel downhole completion products for the oil and gas sector. The company will use the funding to double manufacturing capacity through acquisition of specialized machinery, advancing sales in South America and offsetting tariff pressures from U.S. and other markets. Coupled with the recently-introduced Regional Tariff Response Initiative, the government plans to unlock over $1 billion in new domestic demand for Canadian steel.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Canada Invests $3.3 Million in Manitoba’s Heavy Equipment and Vehicle Sector

On December 16, 2025, Minister Eleanor Olszewski announced a federal investment of $3.3 million supporting RRC Polytech’s Innovation Garage partnership in Manitoba. The initiative includes the establishment of an industrial-scale collaborative research space for heavy equipment and vehicle manufacturing, a microgrid lab focused on energy innovation and EV infrastructure, and a hydrogen and fuel cell lab for propulsion system development. The investment complements $3.3 million granted by the Government of Manitoba and is expected to advance industrial applied research and supply chain capacity throughout the region.

Sources: www.canada.ca

StatsCan Releases October 2025 Mineral Production and Energy Transportation Data

Statistics Canada published the October 2025 results for the Monthly Mineral Production Survey and data on transportation and storage of crude oil and liquid petroleum products. These datasets are used to track national production and logistics trends across mining and energy sectors.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca, www.statcan.gc.ca

Canadian Provincial Government News

Ontario and Canada Agree to Single Environmental Approval Process for Resource Projects Including Ring of Fire

Ontario and the federal government signed a cooperation agreement enabling a 'one project, one process, one decision' model for environmental approvals on major resource projects, ending overlapping federal assessments and focusing on provincial processes for Ring of Fire infrastructure and mineral resource development.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

Ontario Regulation for Special Economic Zones to Accelerate Critical Projects

Effective January 1, 2026, Ontario will introduce criteria for designating Special Economic Zones, enabling expedited approvals for strategic and critical economic projects, with implications for reduced permitting timelines in mining sectors.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

Alberta Releases Report Showing Stable Water Quality in Oil Sands Region

A new report from the Oil Sands Monitoring Program indicates water quality upstream and downstream of oil sands operations on the Athabasca River has remained consistent over five decades, with noted decreases in some metals and increases in localized streams, prompting further study.

Sources: www.alberta.ca

Ontario Expands Funding for Legacy Oil and Gas Wells Emergency Preparedness

Ontario government announced an additional $4 million in funding to nine southwestern municipalities to enhance emergency response and preparedness related to old and inactive oil and gas wells, including equipment upgrades and training under the Legacy Oil and Gas Wells Action Plan.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

Alberta Companies and Supervisor Penalized $216,000 for Well Abandonment Injury

Canlin Resources Partnership, Ulysses Engineering Inc., and a supervisor were collectively fined and subject to enhanced regulatory supervision following a serious injury during a wellhead abandonment operation, with part of the penalty directed to workforce training at Red Deer Polytechnic.

Sources: www.alberta.ca

New Brunswick, Ottawa Sign Co-ordinated Environmental Assessment Agreement

New Brunswick and the federal government have signed an agreement implementing a 'one project, one review' approach to environmental assessments for major projects, anticipated to facilitate faster approvals and reduce duplication on resource and infrastructure projects.

Sources: www2.gnb.ca

Government Consultations

Consultation on Review of Environmental Emergency Regulations, 2019 Opens

Environment and Climate Change Canada launched a consultation on December 15, 2025, to collect stakeholder views regarding effectiveness and implementation challenges of the 2019 Environmental Emergency Regulations, with consideration for potential regulatory amendments.

Sources: www.canada.ca

What We're Reading This Week

• Eagle Mine and Humboldt Mill sold in $84M U.S. nickel market exit: Lundin Mining exits Michigan’s nickel market with asset sale to Talon Metals.
• Talisker Resumes Normal Operations at Bralorne Gold Mine: Bralorne Gold Mine returned to standard operations.
• Government intervenes with $115M to protect Northwest Territories’ mining hub: Federal government issues major loan backing NWT diamond mining hub amid tariff pressures.
• McEwen Secures Key Permit for El Gallo Mine; Mill Construction to Begin Mid-2026 - First Gold Pour Mid-2027: McEwen Mining receives permit for El Gallo mine development; construction scheduled 2026.
• Anfield Energy Announces Agreement to Acquire BRS Engineering, Bolstering In-House Technical Expertise for Uranium and Vanadium Projects: Anfield Energy moves to acquire BRS Engineering for uranium, vanadium technical capacity.
• India’s push for battery recycling promises jobs, clean energy and mineral security: India initiates policies to foster battery recycling and mineral security.
• North American Construction Group Strengthens its Presence in Western Australia with Acquisition: NA Construction Group broadens mining services operations in Western Australia.
• Latin Metals Provides Spin-Out Transaction Update and Files Technical Report for Para Project: Latin Metals details Para Project technical report and spin-out plan.
• ExGen Signs Binding LOI to Acquire Silver Stream on Past-Producing Gold Mine: ExGen Resources enters agreement for silver stream on historical gold operation.
• Refined Energy Corp. Approves Dufferin Project Drill Program: Refined Energy okays drilling for the Dufferin project.

.