Project Spotlight

Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project

Canada Nickel Company is developing the Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project, located 42 kilometres north of Timmins in northern Ontario. Crawford sits on the world's second largest nickel reserve and is expected to become North America's only primary source of chromium. The project received a positive federal impact assessment decision statement on 31 July 2026 and is targeting a construction decision in 2027.

Four First Nations have formalised partnerships with Canada Nickel, including a CAD 20 million convertible note investment by Taykwa Tagamou Nation, the largest known direct investment by an Indigenous nation in a Canadian critical minerals project.

Sources: Major Projects Office; Impact Assessment Agency of Canada; Canada Nickel, TTN partnership announcement, 16 December 2024

Overview 

Crawford will be a large-scale, open-pit producer of nickel, cobalt, iron, chromium and platinum group metals. The Timmins Nickel District has over 100 years of mining history, with established access to power, road and rail infrastructure.

The project is designed to incorporate Canada Nickel's proprietary In-Process Tailings (IPT) Carbonation technology, which has the potential to store 1.5 million tonnes of CO₂ annually during peak production. The federal Major Projects Office describes the project's estimated carbon emissions as nearly 90 per cent lower than the global industry average.

Sources: Major Projects Office; Canada Nickel BFS, November 2023

Key Facts

 Sources: Major Projects Office; Canada Nickel BFS, November 2023; IAAC decision statement, 31 July 2026

Development

Canada Nickel Company is a Toronto-based developer focused on the next generation of nickel sulphide projects in the Timmins Nickel District. The Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) for Crawford was independently prepared by Ausenco Engineering Canada and filed in November 2023. Front-end engineering design (FEED) was completed in early 2025, with Ausenco Engineering Canada as lead engineer.

The project is expected to attract approximately CAD 5 billion in total investment and is designed in two phases: Phase 1 at 60,000 tonnes per day throughput, with Phase 2 doubling throughput to 120,000 tonnes per day, planned for commissioning in the fourth year of operation.

Sources: Major Projects Office; Mining Weekly, Crawford update, 7 August 2026

Development Stage (October 2026) 

Status: Federal impact assessment approved; construction decision targeted 2027

• Bankable Feasibility Study completed (November 2023)
• Front-end engineering design (FEED) completed (early 2025)
• Impact Statement filed with Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (22 November 2024); first mining project in Canada to file under the amended 2019 Impact Assessment Act
• Federal impact assessment formally commenced (3 March 2026)
• Positive decision statement issued by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (31 July 2026); first mining project to receive a decision statement under the amended Act
• Named under Ontario's One Project, One Process framework (13 January 2026)
• Referred to the federal Major Projects Office (13 November 2025)
• Grid connection engineering agreements signed with Hydro One (March 2026)
• Construction decision targeted for 2027

Sources: IAAC decision statement, 31 July 2026; IAAC project registry; Canada Nickel NR, 21 July 2026; Major Projects Office; Crux Investor, Crawford grid connection, 11 March 2026

Timeline

 Sources: IAAC project registry; IAAC decision statement, 31 July 2026; NRCan, Crawford referral, 13 November 2025; Mining.com, TTN partnership, 16 December 2024; Mining Weekly, Samsung SDI, 15 January 2024; Canadian Mining Journal, First Nations agreement, March 2025; S&P Global, Ontario 1P1P, 13 January 2026; Crux Investor, Hydro One grid connection, 11 March 2026

Regulatory Status

Canada Nickel filed its Impact Statement with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) on 22 November 2024. Crawford was the first mining project in Canada to submit an Impact Statement under the amended Impact Assessment Act, 2019.

The IAAC formally commenced the impact assessment phase on 3 March 2026. On 21 July 2026, the IAAC submitted its Final Impact Assessment report to the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature. On 31 July 2026, the Minister issued a positive decision statement, determining that the potential effects within federal jurisdiction are justified when taking into account the project's benefits. The decision statement establishes legally binding conditions for the life of the project. Crawford is the first mining project to receive a decision statement under the amended Act.

The project was referred to the federal Major Projects Office on 13 November 2025 as a nation-building project. The Province of Ontario named Crawford under its One Project, One Process framework on 13 January 2026, designating the Ministry of Energy and Mines as a single point of contact to coordinate all required provincial approvals and reduce government review time.

Sources: IAAC, decision statement news release, 31 July 2026; IAAC project registry; NRCan, Crawford referral, 13 November 2025; S&P Global, Ontario 1P1P, 13 January 2026

Indigenous Participation

The Crawford project is located on traditional territories of multiple First Nations in the Timmins region. Four First Nations have formalised partnership agreements with Canada Nickel.

Convertible Note Investment

Taykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN) announced on 16 December 2024 a CAD 20 million investment in Canada Nickel Company through a secured convertible note with a five-year term and a 4.75 per cent annual coupon. If converted, the note would give TTN an 8.4 per cent equity interest in the company, based on issued and outstanding share capital at the time of the announcement. TTN also holds the right to nominate one individual to the Canada Nickel Board of Directors for as long as it holds the convertible note or, after conversion, at least 5 per cent of the company's shares. The convertible note was signed on 13 December 2024. Canada Nickel and the Ontario government described the investment as the largest known direct investment by an Indigenous nation in a Canadian critical minerals project. TTN funded the investment from its own resources without reliance on government loan guarantees.

Contracting Agreements

On 3 March 2025, Canada Nickel signed a contracting agreement with Mattagami First Nation, Matachewan First Nation and Flying Post First Nation, all members of the Wabun Tribal Council. The agreement establishes a framework for early business and employment opportunities while the parties work towards a comprehensive impact benefits agreement. It includes commitments for open-book negotiations on key contracting opportunities, including the construction of a 25.2 kilometre railway line, the relocation of Highway 655 and the construction of a temporary overpass on Highway 655.

Chief Jennifer Constant of Mattagami First Nation stated that the agreement reflects an important recognition of their role as stewards of their Traditional Territory.

The federal Major Projects Office notes that the Taykwa Tagamou Nation investment is in the form of convertible notes which, if exercised, will give TTN a meaningful equity stake in the project.

Sources: Mining.com, TTN partnership announcement, 16 December 2024; Mining.com, TTN investment detail; Canadian Mining Journal, First Nations contracting agreement, March 2025; Major Projects Office

Technical Specifications

Production (27-year peak period, per BFS)

• Nickel: 48,000 tonnes per year
• Cobalt: 800 tonnes per year
• Iron: 1.6 million tonnes per year
• Chromium: 76,000 tonnes per year
• Palladium and platinum: 13,000 ounces per year

Life-of-mine production

• Nickel: 1.6 million tonnes
• Cobalt: 24,000 tonnes
• Iron: 58 million tonnes
• Chromium: 2.8 million tonnes
• Palladium and platinum: 490,000 ounces
  

 Average annual nickel production over the 41-year mine life is 38,000 tonnes (83 million pounds).

Carbon Capture Technology

Proprietary In-Process Tailings (IPT) Carbonation Process, branded as NetZero Nickel™, NetZero Cobalt™ and NetZero Iron™:

• Captures and stores CO₂ in tailings during mineral processing
• Annual storage capacity during peak period: 1.5 million tonnes CO₂
• Estimated carbon footprint: 2.3 tonnes CO₂ per tonne of nickel, 89 per cent lower than the global industry average

Infrastructure

• Phase 1 throughput: 60,000 tonnes per day; Phase 2 doubles throughput to 120,000 tonnes per day
• 25.2 kilometre rail spur (construction subject to First Nations contracting agreement)
• Highway 655 realignment
• Nickel processing plant
• Grid connection engineering underway with Hydro One

Sources: Canada Nickel BFS, November 2023; Mining Weekly, Crawford update, 7 August 2026; Major Projects Office

Project Context

Canada Nickel controls multiple additional deposits in the Timmins Nickel District, encompassing over 20 ultramafic targets across a 42 square kilometre geophysical footprint. Crawford serves as the anchor project. Through its NetZero Metals subsidiary, the company is also proposing to develop a nickel refinery for stainless steel and electric vehicle markets and a stainless steel and alloy production facility.

Key strategic investors in Canada Nickel include Agnico Eagle Mines, Samsung SDI and Anglo American, in addition to Taykwa Tagamou Nation.

Sources: Major Projects Office; Crux Investor, Crawford grid connection, 11 March 2026; Mining Weekly, Samsung SDI, 15 January 2024

Resources

• Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, Crawford Nickel Project registry
• IAAC, decision statement news release, 31 July 2026
• Major Projects Office, Crawford project page
• Natural Resources Canada, Crawford referral announcement, 13 November 2025
• Canada Nickel, Bankable Feasibility Study, November 2023
• Canada Nickel, Taykwa Tagamou Nation partnership announcement, 16 December 2024 (via Mining.com)
• Canadian Mining Journal, First Nations contracting agreement, March 2025
• Mining Weekly, Samsung SDI investment, 15 January 2024
• Mining Weekly, Crawford project update, 7 August 2026
• S&P Global, Ontario One Project One Process, 13 January 2026
• Canada Nickel, Final Decision Statement news release, 31 July 2026
• Crux Investor, Hydro One grid connection, 11 March 2026