Canada Nickel Welcomes Ontario Legislation Supporting Responsible Critical Mineral Development

Rhea-AI Summary

Canada Nickel Company (OTCQB: CNIKF) has welcomed Ontario's new legislation, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025, aimed at streamlining critical mineral project development. The law focuses on reducing red tape and accelerating project approval timelines to meet growing demand for strategic minerals like nickel.

The company's Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project near Timmins is positioned as one of the world's largest nickel sulphide resources and a important component of Ontario's critical minerals strategy. The project is expected to generate significant economic benefits through employment, infrastructure investment, and supply of low-carbon nickel.

The legislation recognizes the Timmins region as a zone of strategic economic importance, leveraging its existing mining expertise, workforce, infrastructure, and community support to establish Ontario's leadership in critical minerals development.

Positive

• Crawford Project is one of the largest nickel sulphide resources globally
• Project positioned as key component of Ontario's critical minerals strategy
• New legislation to accelerate project approval timelines
• Strategic location in Timmins with existing infrastructure and workforce

Negative

• None.

TORONTO, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Canada Nickel Company Inc. ("Canada Nickel" or "The Company") (TSXV: CNC) (OTCQB: CNIKF) welcomed the Ontario government's introduction of the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025, which is intended to reduce red tape and facilitate more efficient development of critical mineral projects across the province. The proposed legislation aims to accelerate timelines for project approvals, recognizing the urgent and growing demand for responsibly sourced strategic minerals—such as nickel—that are essential to North America's clean energy transition and future industrial competitiveness.

"We commend the Ontario government for continuing to advance policy tools that support responsible critical mineral development," said Mark Selby, CEO of Canada Nickel. "At Canada Nickel, we remain focused on building projects the right way—with a strong emphasis on environmental stewardship, long-term regional benefits, and maintaining respectful relationships with Indigenous Nations."

Canada Nickel's Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project—located just outside of Timmins—is one of the largest nickel sulphide resources in the world and a key pillar of Ontario's critical minerals strategy. The project is expected to deliver significant economic benefits through job creation, local infrastructure investment, and the long-term supply of low-carbon nickel essential to the clean energy transition.

"We are encouraged to see permitting timelines and regulatory efficiency become a priority," said Pierre-Philippe Dupont, Vice President of Sustainability at Canada Nickel. "Improvements in these areas will help accelerate development of the Crawford Project and enable us to better align with Ontario's goals of becoming a global leader in clean and secure critical mineral supply."

Canada Nickel also supports the government's consideration of the Timmins region as a zone of strategic economic importance. The area is ideally suited to anchor Ontario's leadership in critical minerals due to its long-standing mining expertise, experienced workforce, established power and transportation infrastructure, and strong community support. This combination of natural advantages makes Timmins an ideal hub for investment in clean nickel production, value-added processing, and downstream manufacturing.

By strengthening Ontario's competitiveness and capacity to deliver critical minerals, the proposed legislation supports a more resilient and secure North American supply chain—one that balances the need for speed with the imperative for responsible development and Indigenous engagement.

About Canada Nickel Company 
Canada Nickel Company Inc. is advancing the next generation of nickel-sulphide projects to deliver nickel required to feed the high growth electric vehicle and stainless steel markets. Canada Nickel Company has applied in multiple jurisdictions to trademark the terms NetZero NickelTM, NetZero CobaltTM, NetZero IronTM and is pursuing the development of processes to allow the production of net zero carbon nickel, cobalt, and iron products. Canada Nickel provides investors with leverage to nickel in low political risk jurisdictions. Canada Nickel is currently anchored by its 100% owned flagship Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project in the heart of the prolific Timmins-Cochrane mining camp. For more information, please visit
www.canadanickel.com.

For further information, please contact:
Mark Selby, CEO
Phone: 647-256-1954
Email: info@canadanickel.com 

Media, please contact:

Melanie Paradis
President, Texture Communications
Phone: 416-399-7400
Email: melanie@yourtexture.com

Sydney Oakes
Director of Indigenous Relations and Public Affairs, Canada Nickel Company
Phone: 905-929-7151
Email: sydneyoakes@canadanickel.com

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements 
This press release contains certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, drill and exploration results relating to the target properties described herein (the "Properties"), the significance of drill results, the ability to continue drilling, the impact of drilling on the definition of any resource, the potential of the Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project and the Properties, timing and completion (if at all) of mineral resource estimates, the ability to sell marketable materials, strategic plans, including future exploration and development plans and results, corporate and technical objectives, and the completion of assays, follow-up geophysics and further drilling. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon several assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: future prices and the supply of metals, the future demand for metals, the results of drilling, inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the property, environmental liabilities (known and unknown), general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, results of exploration programs, risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. Canada Nickel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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SOURCE Canada Nickel Company Inc.

FAQ

What is the impact of Ontario's new legislation on Canada Nickel's Crawford Project?

The legislation aims to accelerate approval timelines and reduce regulatory barriers, potentially speeding up the development of the Crawford Nickel Project while maintaining environmental and Indigenous engagement standards.

How large is Canada Nickel's Crawford Project and where is it located?

The Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project is one of the largest nickel sulphide resources globally, located near Timmins, Ontario.

What economic benefits will CNIKF's Crawford Project bring to the Timmins region?

The project is expected to create jobs, drive local infrastructure investment, and provide long-term supply of low-carbon nickel for the clean energy transition.

Why is the Timmins region considered strategically important for CNIKF's operations?

Timmins offers established mining expertise, experienced workforce, existing power and transportation infrastructure, and strong community support for mining operations.