Economic security and critical minerals go hand in hand, underpinning industries ranging from manufacturing to defence. With abundant deposits stretching from coast to coast, Canada is in a unique position to become a dominant exporter of critical minerals, helping allies reduce dependency on suppliers such as China . But a critical minerals strategy is only as strong as the infrastructure behind it. Current domestic production of core critical minerals sits at two per cent of global supply. If planned mining projects proceed as expected, however, recent government estimates say Canadian production will reach as much as 14 per cent of global supply by 2040. Reaching that milestone will require more than just the capacity to identify deposits; it will require significant investment in the infrastructure backbone needed to bolster supply chains. The federal government is on the right track. The recently introduced First and Last Mile Fund commits up to $1.5 billion in federal funding until 2030 to support mining and infrastructure projects. Ultimately, the success of these projects will depend on whether material can be extracted, processed, moved and sold at a globally competitive cost. Consider two projects Ottawa recently referred for fast-tracked approval: British Columbia’s Red Chris mine expansion and Saskatchewan’s McIlvenna Bay copper-zinc project. In northwestern B.C., the federal government is tying the proposed North Coast Transmission Line to industrial development in the region, including the Red Chris expansion. A new transmission line was also recently linked to the McIlvenna Bay project, connecting it to Saskatchewan Power Corp.’s Island Falls hydroelectric grid. More electricity is non-negotiable for these regional projects to scale and reach their full economic potential. Transmission lines are a strong step forward, but these projects can — and must — go further. For example, the McIlvenna Bay Project could expand rail capacity in the surrounding area to streamline copper and zinc transport to eastern Canadian processors and the Port of Churchill in northern Manitoba, providing critical minerals direct access to European markets. Canada needs to start treating trade-enabling infrastructure as a foundational pillar of critical mineral projects, not as an afterthought. If minerals are headed overseas, Canada needs dependable transportation links from mine regions to ports that can handle growing volumes. That is why the Port of Churchill terminal, which can provide a direct route to Europe for the abundance of critical minerals located across Western Canada and parts of Ontario, is so important. A serious critical minerals strategy must support both pathways: domestic processing via reliable power and transportation and exporting via dependable port infrastructure. Too often, mine timelines and trade-enabling infrastructure advance separately. A project may progress faster than transportation networks or governments may champion domestic processing without securing logistics to move material efficiently. Investors notice when this disconnect exists. Exploration investment has been flat, hovering around $4.2 billion since 2023 , according to Natural Resources Canada data. There has also been a worrying trend of exploration companies relocating from Canada and delisting from the Toronto Stock Exchange. Corridor strategies bridge the gap between mineral potential and economic output. Canada’s ability to execute these strategies holds the key to becoming a more credible partner in the eyes of allies. Buyers in the United States, Europe and Asia want confidence that critical minerals will move through stable infrastructure, whether to Canadian processors, North American manufacturers or export terminals. Canada has tremendous potential, but it will only be realized if critical minerals infrastructure is treated as core industrial policy — not peripheral support. Ottawa must have plans in place for the surrounding corridor to support domestic processing, export access or both when deciding to fast-track infrastructure projects. Until then, Canada’s critical minerals strategy remains incomplete. Kip Eideberg is senior vice-president of government and industry relations for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. Opinion: The world has an energy problem and Canada is the solutionRuchir Sharma: Why this oil shock is different