Canada to Announce New Digital Technology and Critical Minerals Initiative in Sudbury

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published July 9, 2026

Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتساب

Canada’s economic and technology agenda turns today to Sudbury, Ontario, where Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is scheduled to announce a new file connected to digital technologies and critical minerals, in partnership with DIGITAL, one of Canada’s Global Innovation Clusters.

According to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the announcement will take place on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET in Sudbury. The government said members of the media must contact ISED Media Relations to receive the exact event location and confirm attendance.

The choice of Sudbury gives the announcement added economic weight. The northern Ontario city has long been associated with mining, but today’s announcement places the sector within a wider national conversation about clean technology, digital innovation, supply chains and Canada’s role in the global race for critical minerals.

Critical minerals have become a strategic priority for Canada because they are used in products linked to the green and digital economy, including electric vehicles, charging stations, wind turbines, solar panels, smartphones, laptops, data centres and mobile networks.

The expected announcement also highlights the growing link between mining and technology. Canada is not only trying to develop mineral resources, but also to connect them with digital tools that can support exploration, production, processing, environmental monitoring and future industrial competitiveness.

DIGITAL, the partner named in the media advisory, works to accelerate the development and adoption of digital technologies in areas such as health, climate change, productivity and digital skills. The federal profile of the Digital Technology Cluster lists total funding of up to $298 million.

The move comes as Canada continues to position itself as a preferred global supplier of critical minerals and the clean digital technologies they support. The federal Critical Minerals Strategy, backed by nearly $4 billion in Budget 2022, frames the sector as central to the country’s economic security and long-term industrial future.

If the announcement includes funding, new partnerships or technology projects, it could strengthen Sudbury’s place not only as a mining centre, but also as part of Canada’s future economy, where minerals, data, clean energy and advanced manufacturing increasingly meet.