First and Last Mile Fund (FLMF)
Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read
- Scored mainly on what it puts back into the local economy. 19 lead with that.
- The work here is mostly getting through a process before you can apply. For 59%, the job is assembling documents instead.
- Most rejections here are settled before you write a word: they turn on who you are, not how well you argue.
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Who actually receives this funding
17 businesses received this funding in 2025 — 23 awards since 2025. Top provinces: British Columbia 43% · Ontario 30% · Quebec 9%. Covers: NRCan First and Last Mile Fund contributions — large-scale critical minerals infrastructure projects including mining companies and Crown utilities. Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure data · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Data through Q4 2026.
Individual award sizes for this program aren’t published — too few recipients to summarize without identifying them.
Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
INVITATION-ONLY federal fund with a $1.5B envelope through 2030 for strategic infrastructure projects that unlock Canadian critical mineral supply chains. The First and Last Mile Fund has funded projects from about $100,000 (pre-construction and project-development studies) to about $75 million (the largest listed award, $74,999,572); the first tranche committed up to $114.9 million across five initial projects. Covers mine-enabling infrastructure, processing/midstream facilities, and transportation links (roads, rail, power) that move resources toward domestic and international markets. Launched at PDAC 2026 by NRCan, with up to $114.9M already committed to one approved and four conditionally approved projects. No one can apply cold, whatever their size: the Government of Canada identifies eligible recipients through engagement with federal experts and consultation with provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners. Mining SMEs, service providers, and Indigenous-owned businesses typically engage as project partners, subcontractors, or Indigenous participants in larger proponent-led consortia. Note: per federal disclosure, FLMF is the renamed successor of the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF) — applications now flow through FLMF, with CMIF as the predecessor program.
Eligibility Requirements
- Eligible recipients are IDENTIFIED by the Government of Canada — you cannot apply cold
- Invitation is based on strategic importance to Canadian critical minerals supply chains (mine development, enabling infrastructure, processing, transportation)
- Provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous nations and communities, and project proponents (including mining companies and infrastructure operators) are typical invited recipients
- Projects must advance first-mile (mine access, power, water, tailings) or last-mile (rail, road, port, processing corridor) infrastructure tied to a critical minerals deposit or value chain
- Indigenous engagement, participation, and capacity-building are prioritized — a dedicated Indigenous EOI stream exists for implicated nations and communities
- Projects must be located in Canada and deliver benefit to Canadian critical mineral supply chains through 2030
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- $100K–$75MPer project from about $100,000 (the smallest listed award is $109,429, for preconstruction and project-development work) to about $75 million (the largest listed award is $74,999,572). The first tranche committed up to $114.9M across five initial projects.
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Deadline
- Continuous pipeline — invitation-only; no open-call deadline
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Very difficult — extensive requirements
Very high competition — highly selective
Very complex — extensive preparation required
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipThis fund is NOT a direct SME application channel.
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
How Natural Resources Canada judges your application
What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.
Distilled from 6+ source documents, condensed into one brief. Sources as of 2026-09-10.
6 of the sources
- First and Last Mile Fund canada.ca
- Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund canada.ca
- Programs and funding for critical minerals projects canada.ca
- Backgrounder: Government of Canada invests to unlock Canada's… canada.ca
- Canada invests to connect Quebec critical minerals to market canada.ca
- Critical Minerals Centre of Excellence Meeting Request forms-formulaires.alpha.canada.ca
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What Natural Resources Canada favours
Government prioritises most strategic projects via federal and partner consultation◦
“Applicants invited to submit an EOI or application will be identified by the Government of Canada based on robust engagement among federal experts as well as consultation with provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners to prioritize the most strategic projects that will help achieve Canada’s critical minerals development objectives.”
The form
CMCE meeting request
- 1Critical Minerals Centre of Excellence Meeting Requestshort answer
- 2Organization / project description and statuswritten answer
Please provide a brief description of your organization and/or project, clearly outlining how your work falls within the scope of the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy. Please include information about the status of your project including the identified Technology Readiness Level, or TRL (if applicable) and whether you have an independent assessment (e.g. feasibility study).
- 3Connection to Canadawritten answer
Please tell us more about your project’s connection to Canada. Where is your company headquartered? Is your project based in Canada? What is the anticipated impact of your project on the development of Canadian critical mineral value chains?
- 4Indigenous benefitwritten answer
- 5Which statements best describe your projectcheckboxes
- 6Regulatory concierge (pilot)yes/no + written
- 7Reason and anticipated outcomes for the meetingwritten answer
Development stream, by invitation
- 8Expression of interest (by invitation only)written answer
- 9Full application (by invitation, as applicable)written answer
Natural Resources Canada states no length limits for these answers.
Judged against
- 1
Will this project produce critical minerals soon?
Show them Give the project stage, the identified TRL, and whether an independent feasibility-type study exists and its date.◦
In the funder’s words · 2
- An eligible project’s expected support for critical minerals production in Canada
- Due diligence related to the application quality, project feasibility, and project risks
- 2
Does it strengthen Canadian value chains?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
- 3
Does it benefit Indigenous communities?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
- 4
Would NRCan invite this proponent?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
3 questions the reviewer answers about you, in Premium.
Where applicants fail
“Applicants must refrain from making any public announcements, press releases, or any other communications relating to any aspect of their application status, or the review and assessment process, including their invitation to submit a full project proposal, until NRCan has officially communicated a formal funding decision.”
“Additionally, applicants must not disclose information related to their application to third parties nor authorize public communications concerning their application without prior written authorization from NRCan.”
“Please be mindful that this service is not able to expedite regulatory processes or permits.”
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5 more rules that can reject you · 1 more criteria · 7 more prompts
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You
Invited by the Government of Canada
Applicants invited to submit an EOI or application will be identified by the Government of Canada based on robust engagement among federal experts as well as consultation with provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners to prioritize the most strategic projects that will help achieve Canada’s critical minerals development objectives.
The project
Project located in Canada
FLMF-funded projects must be located within Canada.
Also
Invitation-only, no open call
There is currently no open call for proposals. Instead, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) will identify proponents whose projects best align with program objectives and invite them to submit applications.
1 thing this funder says you do NOT need, in Premium.
The money
Types of contributionNon-repayable contributions, grants, repayable contributions
The FLMF will offer non-repayable contributions, conditionally or unconditionally repayable contributions, and non-repayable grants.
Funding need consideredFunding need alongside ITCs, CIB financing
Support for priority projects takes into consideration funding need, alongside other federal instruments such as Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) and Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) financing.
StackingScaled against other funders' support
In cases where support would be offered to a project by other funders or lenders, the FLMF contribution to that project will be scaled accordingly.
What it pays for · 1
- Supported projects may include both preconstruction and deployment activities.
From application to money
- Request a meetingRequest meeting before invitation
- Expression of interestNRCan invites aligned proponents to EOI
- Full applicationInvited applicants submit full application
- Conditional offerConditional offer after full assessment
- Contribution agreementNegotiate contribution agreement
- Funding window endsMarch 31, 2030Funding period ends March 31, 2030
In the funder’s words · 6
- Request a meeting
- Use the Critical Minerals Centre of Excellence meeting-request questionnaire to discuss fit and regulatory questions before any invitation.
- Expression of interest
- NRCan invites proponents whose projects align with its priorities to submit an expression of interest.
- Full application
- If invited, you submit a full application covering feasibility, financing plan and project risks.
- Conditional offer
- Successful projects receive a conditional funding offer once the full assessment is complete.
- Contribution agreement
- Negotiation of a contribution agreement follows the conditional funding offer.
- Funding window ends
- The fund's funding period ends on this date.
Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.
Everything you need to win FLMF
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 8-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 8
Eligible Expenses 8
Ineligible Expenses 5
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
- 5 more application steps
- 6 more required documents
- 8 eligible expenses
- 5 ineligible expenses
- Intake periods
- Deadline notes
- Ineligible organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskHow FLMF Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about FLMF