The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission is the city’s lead economic development agency and champion for local growth. We use our local knowledge and expertise to promote Thunder Bay as the best small city in Canada to live, work, do business and visit.
We are led by an independent board and are driven by the needs of our community. Our business development team and sector specialists respond quickly to new opportunities to attract visitors, new talent, employment, business development and investment to Thunder Bay.
Mining in Northwestern Ontario
Thunder Bay is a key regional exploration hub, distinguished by its flourishing mining industry comprising 9 active mines and over 15 major exploration projects. This robust sector is supported by a network of 400+ local mine service and supply companies. Recent discoveries have sparked heightened interest in exploration and mining throughout Northwestern Ontario, prompting intensified activities in gold, palladium, and lithium extraction.
Northwestern Ontario currently has many advanced critical mineral exploration sites, including lithium, graphite, copper and platinum group metals (palladium) providing an opportunity for the province to become a leading jurisdiction in critical mineral production.
Critical minerals like lithium and graphite also require processing of the raw mined material to create a useable product, presenting an opportunity for Northwestern Ontario to become a leader in the chemical processing and conversion of critical minerals to provide products for clean technologies such as batteries for electric vehicles and large scale electrical grid energy storage.
Learn more about mining in Northwestern Ontario: https://gotothunderbay.ca/key-sectors/mining/