Ontario fast-tracks Crawford nickel project under 'One Project, One Process'.

Ontario has designated Canada Nickel's Crawford project for provincial regulatory streamlining, while the company still faces a multi-hundred-million-dollar funding gap for mine construction.

Ontario has designated Canada Nickel Co.'s CNC-X Crawford nickel project for fast-tracking under the province's "One Project, One Process" initiative. Crawford is about 40 kilometres north of Timmins and is reported to hold the world's second-largest nickel reserve. Canada Nickel aims to begin construction before the end of the year and reach production by the end of 2028, and also plans a nickel processing plant in Timmins. Provincial officials framed the designation in part as a response to recent actions and comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, as reported. Key details: - Location and scale: Crawford lies about 40 kilometres north of Timmins and is reported to contain the world's second-biggest nickel reserve. - Regulatory change: The fast-track designation means Canada Nickel will deal with a single provincial representative overseeing provincial permits, replacing the usual need to coordinate across multiple internal agencies. - Project timeline: The company hopes to start building before year-end and to be in production by the end of 2028, and it plans a Timmins processing plant. - Financing needs: Construction is estimated at US$2.0–2.5 billion and much of the financing cited in the article is provisional. - Tentative funding sources: Reported provisional support includes US$500 million in debt from Export Development Canada, US$500 million from another unnamed Canadian government financing agency, and about US$600 million in critical minerals and carbon capture and storage tax credits, leaving an equity shortfall of roughly US$300 million. - Partnership and sale options: The article reports the company is exploring selling 10–20% of the project (potentially up to about US$200 million) and notes Samsung SDI holds an option to purchase 10% of Crawford for US$100 million; nickel from Crawford is expected to be sold into the electric vehicle battery and steel markets in the U.S. and Europe. Summary: The provincial fast-track designation is intended to simplify and centralize provincial permitting and reduce the risk of administrative oversights, according to officials and the company. Substantial financing work remains, with Canada Nickel pursuing a mix of government-backed debt, tax credits, equity and partner options and reporting ongoing efforts to close gaps before year-end. The company was also designated for the federal major projects office, which is reported to support expedited federal permitting. Officials and the company say they are focusing on securing remaining financing and progressing permitting toward construction decisions.