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Government of Ontario, Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry
Ontario Junior Exploration Program
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling
Odds
Dozens per intake
Effort
1–2 weeks
Can you get this?
✓Non-producing junior mining company, market cap under $100M
✓Must be registered on Ontario Business Registry
✓Grassroots mineral exploration must occur in Ontario
✓Prospectors need Ontario licence for at least one year
✓Must have funds to cover 100% of total project costs
Your real odds
Timing your submission to the opening of an intake period is the single biggest factor in your odds, because applications are reviewed first-come, first-served.
Across the first three intake periods, dozens of companies received funding, and most approved recipients received the full $200,000. Critical minerals projects are prioritized before others within the same intake period, so your target mineral's status on Ontario's critical minerals list directly affects where you land in the queue.
What it takes
Confirm eligibility: verify market cap, Ontario Business Registry status, mining tenure, insurance, and exploration plan/permit1–2 weeks
Prepare application: assemble project proposal, proof of funds, insurance certificate, and Indigenous employment plan if applicable2–4 weeks
Submit as early as possible once the intake period opensDay one of intake
Worth knowing
If your target mineral appears on Ontario's official critical minerals list, your application is considered before non-critical mineral projects in the same intake period, which is a real structural advantage in a first-come, first-served system that most applicants overlook.
What else do you qualify for?
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