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Canada Invests in Quebec’s Critical Minerals Sector to Create Jobs and a Strong Economy

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MONTREAL, Feb. 6, 2025 /CNW/ – Investments in critical minerals are essential for Canada to seize the economic opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy and to capitalize on its rich mineral resources. Canada is well positioned to be a global leader and a reliable supplier to the world of critical minerals, which are increasingly in demand to power essential for powering the digital economy. By developing and expanding critical mineral value chains — from mining and processing to manufacturing and recycling — Canada can create good jobs, support economic opportunities, reduce reliance on countries like China and contribute to a resilient and secure future. 

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced up to $43.5 million in investments under two critical mineral funding programs that will help to advance critical minerals research and infrastructure developments in Quebec.

Today’s announcement includes up to $39.8 million in conditionally approved investments, pending final due diligence, under the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF) for six energy and transportation infrastructure projects to support critical minerals development:

Up to $20 million for Critical Elements Lithium Corporation to construct a new main electrical station and relocate 4.2 kilometres of transmission line to service its Rose Lithium-Tantalum Mining Project in Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Quebec.Up to $1.1 million for Dumont Nickel to conduct a feasibility study to connect its nickel and cobalt project to the Hydro-Québec grid via an eight-kilometre transmission line.Up to $1.3 million for Sayona Nord Inc. to advance an approximately 55-kilometre transmission line that will provide electricity grid connection for their Moblan lithium project located in Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Quebec.Up to $13.5 million for Eskan Company, an Indigenous-owned company, to undertake a feasibility study to extend the Renard Mine access road by 87 kilometres toward lithium-based minerals projects located in Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Quebec.Up to $1.3 million for Cbay Minerals Inc to complete a feasibility study and environmental and social impact assessment to support the development of two-lane gravel roads and 25-kV electrical powerlines connecting the Corner Bay and Devlin deposits close to the town of Chibougamau in Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Quebec,Up to $2.6 million for Commerce Resources to study the feasibility of an approximately 1,7560- kilometre road that would connect the Ashram rare earths and fluorspar project. This infrastructure will support the increase of the production of rare earth elements and fluorspar from the Ashram Deposit in the Nunavik region of northern Quebec.

Under the Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) program, the federal government is also investing $3.7 million to COALIA to pilot the extraction and purification of lithium from spodumene ore using nitric acid, enabling the recovery of lithium and byproducts to be recycled as nitrogen fertilizers, minimizing waste material production. This will demonstrate and validate the economics and efficiency of a novel lithium process.

This new funding is a direct result of enhanced collaboration between the Government of Canada and the Province of Quebec through the new Quebec-Canada Collaboration Table on Energy and Resources, announced earlier today.

Together, the Governments of Canada and Quebec, within their respective jurisdictions, are creating the good jobs and enduring prosperity that will come with the unprecedented economic opportunities of building a strong 21st-century economy. The initiatives announced today will help support a variety of opportunities for clean growth while creating a greener, healthier, more resilient Canada.

Quotes

“These projects, under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy, will help expand Quebec’s sustainable critical minerals production, notably rare earths that are used in electronics, clean energy, aerospace, automotive and defence. Developments like this help mines get built faster, and they are a key element in seizing the generational opportunity before us. The Government of Canada is supporting projects that strengthen Canada’s supply chains, enhance our ability to be a reliable supplier of the critical minerals the world is demanding and foster economic growth while creating good jobs.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

“Our government is investing in key infrastructure for Quebec’s critical minerals sector. With new roads to critical mineral mining sites, we’re strengthening our supply chains, creating good jobs, and supporting economic growth.”

The Honourable Anita Anand
President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport of Canada

“The fight against climate change requires all of us to work together, and today’s announcement is a product of true collaboration between our government and Quebec. By investing big in critical minerals research and infrastructure development, we are not only accelerating our transition to a low-carbon economy but also securing generational economic opportunities for Canadians to take the lead in the global shift to net zero.”

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“On behalf of Critical Elements Lithium Corporation and its shareholders, I would like to thank Canada’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry and Quebec’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests for their support of the Rose Lithium-Tantalum Project. Critical Elements Lithium has been steadily advancing and derisking the Rose Lithium-Tantalum Project, and the provision of these funds is an important step in this process. We would also like to note the importance of our strong relationship with our Cree neighbours, embodied by the Pihkuutaau Agreement of July 2019 and based on mutual trust and respect, resulting in a sustainable development approach. It is clear from our ongoing discussions with end-users of the high-quality spodumene concentrate to be produced from the Rose Lithium-Tantalum Project that a great value is placed on the demanding standards of sustainability and governance honed by the rigorous permitting processes at the provincial and federal levels, as well as our relationship with the Cree. We remain confident that our nation’s natural resource endowment, high standards of production and proximity to two of the most important global markets will support our drive to be an industry leader in the ongoing global energy transition.”

Jean-Sébastien Lavallée,
Chief Executive Officer, Critical Elements Lithium Corporation

“As we prepare to take a decisive step in the realization of the Dumont Project, we thank the governments for this vote of confidence in it. We are proud to have been identified as a preferred partner in achieving government priorities for sustainable development. This financial support will allow us to build the energy transport infrastructure necessary to connect our project to the Hydro-Québec grid. In addition to strengthening national economic security, these investments in Quebec’s critical minerals sector are essential for the development of local and regional value chains, benefiting the economy of all regions, Quebec and Canada as a whole.”

François Vézina
Chief Operating Officer, Dumont Nickel, formerly Magneto Investments Limited Partnership

“This support from the federal government underlines the strategic importance of the Moblan project for the development of the battery industry in Quebec and Canada. This funding will enable us to take crucial steps toward connecting Moblan to the grid while working closely with our local partners and communities in the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James region.”

Sylvain Collard
Président et Chef des opérations canadiennes, Sayona Nord Inc

“Eskan Company welcomes the announcement of the Canadian Minerals Infrastructure Fund in respect to funding for its proposed study on the Trans-Atikh Road. Although Eskan’s participation should in no way be interpreted as support for mining projects, this study is in line with the objective of Indigenous control over the development of infrastructure on our traditional territory. Indigenous involvement in infrastructure development must begin at the earliest planning stages and include the active participation of our land users and community members right from the outset, and this is what Eskan aims to achieve through this study with the assistance of the Canadian Minerals Infrastructure Fund.”

Emmett MacLeod
President/Chief Operation Officer, Eskan Company

“We recognize that our Chibougamau hub and spoke project is one of the more advanced critical metals projects in Quebec and Canada. Although we are close to the town of Chibougamau, we still have infrastructure requirements, and this additional funding is very helpful for us in advancing our feasibility study and environmental and social impact assessment.”

Ernest Mast
President and CEO, CBay Minerals Inc. a subsidiary of Cygnus Metals Limited

“On behalf of Commerce Resources Corp, I would like to thank NRCan for its conditional approval and strong support for the proposed road between the Ashram project and the Koksoak river. The funding is critical in enabling the progression of the road, which is crucial to the development of Commerce Resources’ Ashram REE and Fluorspar deposit, the highest-quality deposit of its type in Canada and one of the best globally. In addition to bringing the mine into production, the road will provide significant social and economic benefits to the communities in Nunavik. We look forward to working with our government and community stakeholders as we progress the Ashram project.”

Ross Carroll
Chief Operating Officer, Commerce Resources Corp

“The industrialization of processes for the extraction and purification of critical and strategic minerals requires the successful completion of the crucial scale-up stage to ensure the economic viability of the technology. Through this funding to COALIA, the Government of Canada is reaffirming its commitment to consolidating the critical minerals value chain and demonstrating its confidence in our ability to transform our economy.” 

Philippe Bébin
Directeur général, Coalia 

Quick Facts

The Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy aims to advance the development of these resources and related value chains to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy and support advanced technology and manufacturing. Canada’s whole-of-government approach to critical mineral development is collaborative, forward-looking, iterative, adaptive and long-term. The initiatives presented in the Strategy will be implemented and refined in collaboration with provincial, territorial, Indigenous, industry and other Canadian and international partners.The $1.5 billion Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF) is a key program under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy to address infrastructure gaps, enable critical minerals production and connect resources to markets through various clean energy, electrification and transportation infrastructure projects. The program also supports clean energy and electrification initiatives as well as transportation and infrastructure projects that will enable the sustainable development of Canada’s critical minerals.The CMIF supports strategic priorities such as decarbonizing industrial mining operations, strengthening supply chains through transportation infrastructure and advancing economic reconciliation by supporting the participation of Indigenous Peoples in infrastructure and critical minerals projects.The Critical Minerals Research Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) program is part of the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy and aims to support the development of innovative processing technologies for the critical minerals industry, which will help advance Canadian mining projects toward production.

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Backgrounder: Canada Invests in Quebec’s Critical Minerals Sector to Create Jobs and a Strong Economy

Associated Links

Critical Elements Lithium CorporationDumont NickelSayona Nord Inc.Eskan CompanyCygnus Metals LimitedCommerce Resources CorpCOALIACanadian Critical Minerals Strategy Government of Canada Launches $1.5-Billion Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund Programs and funding for critical minerals projects Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund Critical Minerals Research Development and Demonstration ProgramRegional Energy and Resource Tables

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

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Chemours Announces Dates for Third Quarter 2026 Earnings Release and Webcast Conference Call

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October 21, 2026

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WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Chemours Company (“Chemours” or “the Company”) (NYSE: CC) today announced that the Company expects to issue its third quarter 2026 financial results after market on Monday, November 2, 2026.

The Company expects to hold its conference call to discuss its third quarter 2026 financial results at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The call is open to the public and can be accessed via the webcast information below. The webcast and materials can be accessed by visiting the “Events and Presentations” section of the Investor Relations section of Chemours’ website at investors.chemours.com.

Conference Call: Please visit investors.chemours.com for a link to the live webcast and to view the accompanying slides.

Replay: A webcast replay will be available at investors.chemours.com.

About The Chemours Company
The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC) is a global leader in providing industrial and specialty chemicals products for markets, including coatings, plastics, refrigeration and air conditioning, transportation, semiconductor and advanced electronics, general industrial, and oil and gas. Through our three businesses – Thermal & Specialized Solutions, Titanium Technologies, and Advanced Performance Materials – we deliver application expertise and chemistry-based innovations that solve customers’ biggest challenges. Our flagship products are sold under prominent brands such as Opteon™, Freon™, Ti-Pure™, Nafion™, Teflon™, Viton™, and Krytox™. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and listed on the NYSE under the symbol CC, Chemours has approximately 5,700 employees and 28 manufacturing sites and serves approximately 2,400 customers in approximately 110 countries. For more information, visit chemours.com or follow us on LinkedIn. 

CONTACTS:

INVESTORS
Brandon Ontjes
Vice President, Head of Strategy & Investor Relations
+1.302.773.3300 
investor@chemours.com 

NEWS MEDIA
Cassie Olszewski
Media Relations & Reputation Leader
+1.302.219.7140
media@chemours.com  

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SOURCE The Chemours Company

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AGEDB Announces Preliminary Technical Evaluation of Graph Database and AI Data Platform Opportunities

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October 21, 2026

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VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 21, 2026 /CNW/ — AGEDB Technology Ltd. (TSXV: AGET) (“AGEDB” or the “Company”) announces that it is evaluating opportunities to re-engage in its historical graph database business area through preliminary architectural design and technical assessment of potential AI data platform applications, following its entry, on September 16, 2026, into a memorandum of understanding (the “MOU”) with a Korea-listed company exploring opportunities to enter the AI sector (the “Korean Company”).

The Company previously disclosed that it had discontinued its graph database management system operations during the year ended April 30, 2025 and was seeking new business opportunities. The Company is now assessing potential opportunities to leverage its existing Apache AGE-related technology and experience. These preliminary evaluations should not be interpreted as a resumption of full-scale development or commercial operations.

Under the MOU, AGEDB and the Korean Company contemplate evaluating an integrated package combining locally installed PostgreSQL and Apache AGE relationship-analysis database technology with an AI agent. The MOU also contemplates a separate “Personal AI Operating System” evaluation track, referred to as “AGE Brain,” for potential use in user-controlled computing environments. The proposed applications remain conceptual and subject to further technical and commercial assessment.

The contemplated preliminary work includes architectural design and technical evaluation of approaches to connecting relational data with graph-based relationships and supporting AI-assisted information retrieval and analysis. The parties may consider proof-of-concept testing and pilot activities, but no timeline or commitment to undertake such activities has been established under the MOU.

The MOU has a one-year term. Except for provisions expressly identified as binding, it is non-binding and does not require either party to complete development, launch or commercialize a product, make an investment, commit personnel, pay development fees, or enter into a definitive commercial agreement. Specific project scope, deliverables, schedules, responsibilities, costs and any commercialization terms remain subject to further discussions and, where applicable, separate written agreements. Each party will bear its own evaluation costs unless otherwise agreed in writing.

The Company’s evaluation remains preliminary. No product launch, commercial revenue or definitive commercialization arrangement has been agreed, and there can be no assurance that the parties will proceed with development, that the proposed platform will be completed or commercialized, or that the Company will obtain the resources required to advance the opportunity.

AGEDB may also explore potential collaborations with AI development companies in Korea and other markets, subject to available resources and further assessment.

AGEDB Technology Ltd.

On behalf of the board of directors,

“Jungsoo Kim”
CEO

About AGEDB Technology Ltd.

AGEDB Technology Ltd. is a technology company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “AGET.” The Company is focused on developing and pursuing opportunities in data intelligence, graph database technology and applied artificial intelligence.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information, including statements regarding the Company’s development activities, the proposed AI data platform, potential proof-of-concept and pilot activities, and possible future collaborations and commercialization. Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. The memorandum of understanding is generally non-binding, and there can be no assurance that the parties will proceed with or complete any development, pilot, product launch or commercial arrangement, or that AGEDB will enter into additional collaborations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. AGEDB undertakes no obligation to update such information except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE AGEDB Technology Ltd.

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Bose Corporation Acquires Skullcandy, Expanding Its Consumer Audio Portfolio to Reach New Audiences

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October 21, 2026

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Acquisition follows a successful partnership between the two companies and advances Bose’s evolution into a multi-brand products and technology company

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. and PARK CITY, Utah, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bose Corporation, a global leader in audio innovation and research, announced today it has acquired Skullcandy, a lifestyle audio brand known for its bold products that bring together sound, style and performance. Bose and Skullcandy have each spent decades finding new ways to bring people closer to the music they love. Together, they’ll combine Bose’s audio expertise, technology and global reach with Skullcandy’s design, understanding of its consumers and authentic community connections to create new products and experiences and accelerate growth.

The acquisition follows a multi-year partnership that has already brought Sound by Bose technology to Skullcandy earbuds and headphones. The companies have seen firsthand how their strengths can come together to create products consumers love while staying true to what makes Skullcandy special, providing a foundation to accelerate further collaboration and innovation.

With a strong position at the intersection of audio, lifestyle and culture, Skullcandy will remain a separate brand within Bose’s Premium Consumer Audio business. Skullcandy’s deep roots in boardsports, including longstanding relationships with passionate supporters of the culture and its athletes, and authentic connections across music, gaming, fitness and other communities present new ways for Bose to meaningfully connect with consumers where it has less presence today.

“For more than 60 years, Bose has been committed to delivering incredible audio experiences however and wherever people choose to listen. As we work to reach even more people, we’re expanding how we do that, not only through Bose products, but through technology partnerships and a growing portfolio of brands,” said Lila Snyder, Chief Executive Officer of Bose Corporation. “As a privately held company, we have the freedom to make bold, long-term investments in opportunities we believe in, and Skullcandy is a great example of that. They have an established, thriving brand, and together we see tremendous opportunity to create new products and experiences and reach more consumers around the world.”

“We believe this is a win for Skullcandy and our fans,” said Brian Garofalow, Chief Executive Officer of Skullcandy. “Skullcandy was born on a chairlift in Park City, Utah, over 20 years ago, and we’ve always believed great music should be part of the experiences people love. Joining Bose gives us the opportunity to make those experiences even better by bringing more of their audio expertise and technology to our products, and it opens up even more ways to take Skullcandy further.”

Bose plans to invest in Skullcandy’s continued growth, providing greater access to technology, resources, global distribution and commercial relationships while giving the brand the freedom to continue evolving in ways that are authentic to its identity and consumers. Skullcandy will continue to be based in Park City, Utah.

Bose acquired Skullcandy from a fund managed by Mill Road Capital Management LLC, a Connecticut-based private investment firm. Jones Day acted as Bose’s legal counsel. Additional information, including financial and other terms of the transaction, will remain confidential.

About Bose Corporation
Bose Corporation is a global leader in audio innovation, driven by a singular belief: sound has the power to transform the way people connect with the world. For more than 60 years, Bose has combined pioneering research, engineering excellence, and a deep understanding of human perception to create products and technologies that deliver extraordinary experiences. Through its portfolio of iconic brands, including Bose, McIntosh, Sonus faber, and Skullcandy, the company offers premium and luxury audio solutions for the home, on the go, and in the car. Bose also collaborates with leading companies across industries, extending its audio expertise and technologies into new products, platforms, and applications beyond its own brands. 

Guided by a relentless spirit of innovation and a passion for what sound makes possible, Bose continues to advance the science and art of sound while expanding its impact on everyday life. From music and entertainment to communication, wellness, and emerging applications, Bose is creating new ways for people around the world to feel more connected, inspired, and engaged through the power of sound.

About Skullcandy
Founded in 2003 on a chairlift in Park City, Utah, Skullcandy is the original lifestyle audio brand. With deep roots in action sports culture, Skullcandy creates headphones, earbuds, and speakers that deliver powerful sound, bold style, and immersive experiences. Designed to move with you—from the mountains to the streets—Skullcandy gear is built to perform and made to stand out. Learn more at www.Skullcandy.com.

Contact

Joanne Berthaume
Joanne_berthaume@bose.com

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SOURCE Bose Corporation

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