This panel brings together procurement leaders from battery manufacturing, automotive, and defense sectors to discuss what they need from suppliers, how they assess jurisdictional risk, and what Ontario must do to become a go-to source for responsibly sourced materials.

How are your sectors approaching the growing urgency around securing critical minerals supply? How is the conversation evolving, and what steps are being taken to secure access to raw materials domestically and with trusted partners?

• What are the strategic risks of relying on foreign sources for critical minerals, and how can domestic industries work together to mitigate those vulnerabilities?
• How important is proximity to midstream capacity (refining, conversion) when evaluating supply from a region?
• What signals or support from governments and companies would make Ontario critical minerals attractive to your organization? 
• How do you view defense procurement as a stable offtake route for critical minerals, and what’s needed to expand this channel?
• What are your long-term expectations for Ontario’s role in your global supply chain?