CMRDD Program: NRCan Funding for Critical Minerals Processing
Bringing a critical minerals technology toward production takes studies, pilots and demonstrations before anything runs at scale. Natural Resources Canada’s Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) Program funds that work in Canada, under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy.
CMRDD is open: its contribution funding stream takes Expressions of Interest (EOIs) on a continuous basis. Contributions are non-repayable, no per-project limit is published, and every project must be completed by March 31, 2028.
What is CMRDD?
CMRDD funds technologies to extract, process, recycle and reprocess critical minerals in Canada, moving projects toward production and building domestic value chains. The program has received $246.3 million in federal funding since 2021, including a $37 million top-up over three years, and has been extended to March 31, 2028.
It has three streams. The contribution funding stream is open to pre-commercial upstream and midstream processing projects. NRCan may also invite projects through a directed intake focused on lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, copper and rare earth elements, where unsolicited applications are not accepted. The federal research and development stream, for projects led by federal laboratories, is closed to applications.
CMRDD at a glance
| Detail | NRCan — Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) Program |
|---|---|
| Funding amount | Varies |
| Program type | Grant |
| Level | Federal |
| Where it applies | Canada-wide |
| Status | Open |
| Deadline | Contribution funding takes Expressions of Interest on a continuous basis through NRCan’s applicant portal; no closing date is posted. Selected projects are invited to submit a full project proposal. Every project must be completed by March 31, 2028. The directed intake is by invitation only, and the federal research and development stream is closed. |
| What it funds | R&D / Proof of Concept, Product Demonstration / Pilot, Commercialization / Market Launch |
| Industries | Oil Gas Chemicals, Material Science, Clean Tech, Advanced Manufacturing, Waste Management |
| Company stage | Startup, Growth, Expansion, Established |
| Matching funds required | Yes |
| Competition level | High |
How much funding is available?
Contributions are non-repayable, and no per-project limit is published. Contribution projects funded so far received from $477,696 to $21,883,900.
Up to 100% of total project costs can be covered, but for-profit recipients are expected to contribute 25 to 50%. Total Canadian government funding cannot exceed 100%, and you must disclose every funding source, including SR&ED tax credits.
- Eligible costs: salaries and benefits, professional and technical services, travel at National Joint Council rates, capital equipment, lab and field supplies, permits and accreditation, and overhead up to 15%.
- Eligible period: costs are eligible from conditional approval, and projects must be completed by March 31, 2028.
Who is eligible?
The applicant
- Canadian for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, industry and research associations, standards organizations, community groups and academic institutions, incorporated or registered in Canada.
- Provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments and their agencies.
- Indigenous groups, communities and organizations, including Indigenous-majority-owned businesses.
The project
- A pre-commercial project starting below TRL 8 with a clear path to commercialization, in one of three ranges: foundational research and feasibility (TRL 3–5), pilot and scale-up (TRL 5–7), or large-scale demonstration and deployment (TRL 7–9).
- It must advance the extraction, processing, recycling or reprocessing of a mineral on Canada’s critical minerals list, focused on upstream-to-midstream processing, including auxiliary technologies.
- Technologies may originate anywhere but must be tested, piloted, demonstrated and deployed in Canada.
- Eligible activities: pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, front-end engineering and design studies, and testing and piloting to demonstrate technologies.
- Not eligible: mining, drilling and exploration; environmental characterization of waste, reclamation or disposal; and sampling or feed acquisition (feed preparation costs may be considered).
When and how to apply
Contribution funding takes Expressions of Interest on a continuous basis through NRCan’s applicant portal, and no closing date is posted. Selected projects are invited to submit a full project proposal.
Every project must be completed by March 31, 2028, and costs are eligible only from conditional approval. The directed intake is by invitation only, and the federal research and development stream is closed.
The status of NRCan — Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) Program in EVAMAX Grant AI™ is currently Open. Grant AI™ re-checks it against the official program page, so look there for the latest before you start an application.
Is CMRDD right for you?
CMRDD suits Canadian companies, research organizations, governments and Indigenous organizations with a pre-commercial technology for extracting, processing, recycling or reprocessing critical minerals that will be tested and deployed in Canada. Watch the timeline: every project must be completed by March 31, 2028 and costs count only from conditional approval, so the work has to fit a fixed window. For-profit applicants should also plan to contribute 25 to 50% of total project cost.
Next steps: look up NRCan — Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) Program in EVAMAX Grant AI™ to see its live status and other programs that fit your company, or talk to EVAMAX about building your application.
Program details are from the EVAMAX Grant AI™ record as of October 19, 2026. Programs change — confirm current terms on the official program page before you apply.