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 you currently sourcing critical minerals, and what criteria drive supplier selection?
• What role does ESG verification and traceability play in your procurement decisions?
• 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 projects more attractive to your organization?
• How do you view defense procurement as a stable offtake route, and what’s needed to expand this channel?
• What are your long-term expectations for Ontario’s role in your global supply chain?