About the program

The Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP) helps junior mining companies finance early exploration projects. These projects help boost mineral exploration, growth and job creation in the province, particularly in northern and Indigenous communities.

Eligible junior mining companies can receive:

  • up to $200,000 per project to cover 50% of eligible costs
  • up to $10,000 to cover 100% of eligible costs per project supporting Indigenous employment and business opportunities

Program streams

Critical minerals stream

Projects under the critical minerals stream are projects where a critical mineral, identified in Ontario’s critical minerals list, is the primary or secondary mineral exploration target.

Projects where the primary mineral exploration target is a critical mineral (primary target projects) will be considered for funding on a first-come, first-served basis.

Once primary target projects are selected, projects where the secondary mineral exploration target is a critical mineral (secondary target projects) will be considered for remaining funding on a first-come, first-served basis.

If funding under the critical minerals stream is fully allocated, any remaining primary or secondary target projects will automatically be considered under the exploration stream on a first-come, first-served basis.

Exploration stream

Projects under the exploration stream include:

  • projects where the exploration target is a mineral not included in the list of critical minerals
  • any primary target projects or secondary target projects that are being considered under the exploration stream

All projects in the exploration stream will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding, you must meet all of the following requirements:

  • be a non-producing junior mining company with a market capitalization of up to $100 million (or a comparable value if you are a private company) as of May 8, 2024.
  • be registered on the Ontario Business Registry
  • submit an application that proposes to undertake grassroots mineral exploration in Ontario which is identifying new mineral exploration targets or evaluating existing targets in an area that is not known to host a mineral deposit with economic potential.
  • provide proof that the applicant has the funds to cover 100% of total project costs
  • provide a copy of a valid certificate of insurance which includes general commercial liability coverage at a limit not less than $2 million per occurrence
  • be enrolled in the Mining Lands Administration System and hold the necessary mining lands tenure required to carry out the project
  • have a valid exploration plan and/or permit issued under the Mining Act before work proceeds and for the duration of the project (where required)
  • have the approval of the plan/permit and/or tenure holder to apply for OJEP funding and carry out the proposed project

Apply

Intake five will launch on May 8, 2024  and close on June 5, 2024.

We will assess and approve applications on a first-come, first-served basis.

For complete details on the program, application process and what happens after you apply, read the OJEP program guidelines.

Funding recipients

The following recipients received OJEP funding as part of the first two intakes:

Company nameApproved funding amount
5007223 Ontario Inc.$150,000
BTU Metals Corp.$172,000
Canadian Gold Miner Corp.$200,000
Manitou Gold Inc.$200,000
Noble Mineral Exploration Inc.$200,000
Northstar Gold Corp.$57,605
Pelangio Exploration Inc.$150,000
Prosper Gold Corp.$200,000
Red Pine Exploration Inc.$200,000
Transition Metals Corp.$71,857
Tyko Resources Inc.$200,000
VR Resources Ltd.$200,000
Company nameApproved funding amount
Angus Gold Inc.$200,000
ALX Resources Inc.$200,000
Canadian Gold Miner Corp.$200,000
Copper Lake Resources Ltd.$200,000
Cross River Ventures Corp.$95,890
Delta Resources Ltd.$200,000
Dynasty Gold Corp.$200,000
EnviroMine Inc.$200,000
EV Nickel Inc.$200,000
Exiro Minerals Corp.$200,000
First Class Metals Canada$200,000
Golden Goliath Resources$169,926
Goldseek Resources Inc.$30,722
Griftco Corp.$66,035
Harfang Exploration Inc.$72,204
Hemlo Explorers Inc.$200,000
Heritage Mining Ltd.$200,000
Insight Exploration Inc.$93,492
International Lithium Corp.$200,000
Kesselrun Resources Inc.$200,000
Manitou Gold Inc.$200,000
Mantra Exploration Inc.$36,733
MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd.$200,000
Midex Resources Ltd.$103,574
New Break Resources Ltd.$200,000
Pavey Ark$63,473
Platinex Inc.$80,000
Red Pine Exploration Inc.$200,000
Sparton Resources Inc.$10,574
SPC Nickel Corp.$200,000
Transition Metals$144,071
Ursa Major Minerals Inc.$161,781
Val d’Or Mining Corp.$89,437
VR Resources Inc.$200,000
Warrior Gold Inc.$196,728
Whitefish Exploration Inc.$58,150

OJEP funding has been committed to the following recipients as part of the third intake:

Company NameFunding Amount
ALX Resources Corp.$57,690
Angus Gold Inc.$200,000
Ashley Gold Corp.$27,536
Canada Critical Resources Corp.$200,000
Canada One Mining Corp.$133,380
Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc.$54,597
Delta Resources Limited$200,000
E2Gold Inc.$200,000
EGR Exploration Ltd.$200,000
Enviromine Inc.$131,500
EQN Canada Inc.$200,000
EV Nickel Inc.$21,397
Exiro Minerals Corp.$21,486
Battery Age Minerals$200,000
Hemlo Explorers Inc.$200,000
Heritage Mining Ltd.$200,000
Imagine Lithium Inc.$155,147
Inventus Mining Corp.$128,219
Money Money Money$12,892
JoBina Resources Ltd.$195,000
Brady Mining$56,556
Kenorland Minerals Ltd.$200,000
Kesselrun Resources Ltd.$200,000
Kingsview Minerals Ltd.$72,343
Lican Exploration Inc.$200,000
Lost Hope Mine Ltd.$8,245
MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd.$200,000
Melkior Resources Inc.$157,422
Midex Resources Ltd.$91,873
Mink Ventures Corporation$77,405
New Break Resources Ltd.$36,223
Newpath Resources Inc.$177,150
Noble Mineral Exploration Inc.$200,000
Nortech Minerals Corp.$95,931
Platinex Inc.$63,502
Prospector Metals Corp.$200,000
Prosper Gold Corp.$200,000
Red Pine Exploration Inc.$200,000
Rich Copper Exploration Corp.$48,405
Rift Lithium Subco Inc.$66,721
Rockridge Resources Ltd.$200,000
Sky Gold Corp.$116,050
Solstice Gold Corp.$200,000
SPC Nickel Corp.$200,000
Thunder Gold Corp.$44,550
Transition Metals Corp.$182,388
Tyko Resources Inc.$200,000
VR Resources Ltd.$200,000
Weekapaug Lithium Subco Inc.$56,035
Whitefish Exploraton Inc.$46,650

OJEP funding has been committed to the following recipients as part of the fourth intake:

Company NameFunding Amount
Angus Gold Inc.$200,000
Archer Exploration Corp.$200,000
Ardiden Canada Ltd.$200,000
Ashley Gold Corp.$93,570
Copper Lake Resources Ltd.$198,047
Delta Resources Ltd.$200,000
Dryden Gold Corp.$200,000
E2Gold Inc.$200,000
First Class Metals Inc.$200,000
Fladgate Exploration Consulting Corporation$107,822
1796795 Ontario Inc. o/a Flyrock Capital Corp.$64,437
Green Shift Commodities Ltd.$74,221
Heritage Mining Ltd.$200,000
2873454 Ontario Inc.$47,631
JoBina Resources Ltd.$200,000
Kesselrun Resources Ltd.$170,837
Libra Lithium Corp.$200,000
Metal Energy Corp.$200,000
Metals Creek Resources Corp.$31,277
Mink Ventures Corporation$75,353
Mistango River Resources Inc.$200,000
New Break Resources Ltd.$200,000
Noble Mineral Exploration Inc.$76,000
Nortstar Gold Corp.$84,669
Prospector Metals Corp.$110,414
Red Pine Exploration Inc.$200,000
Root Lake Resources Ltd.$180,916
Solstice Gold Corp.$81,554
SPC Nickel Corp.$200,000
Spod Lithium Corp.$111,884
Transition Metals Corp.$42,500
Tyko Resources Inc.$200,000
Usha Resources Ltd.$200,000
VR Resources Ltd.$200,000
1796796 Ontario Inc.$43,006