About the program

The Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP) supports early-stage mineral exploration by providing targeted funding. OJEPis designed to:

  • encourage investment in mineral exploration
  • boost economic growth and create jobs across the province
  • prioritize opportunities 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 an additional $15,000 to cover 100% of eligible costs per project supporting Indigenous employment and business opportunities

Eligible prospectors applying under the new prospectors stream can receive:

  • up to $50,000 per project to cover 50% of eligible costs

An additional up to $15,000 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 the opening date of the intake period
  • be registered on the Ontario Business Registry
  • submit an application that proposes to undertake grassroots mineral exploration in Ontario
  • 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

Prospectors stream

We are excited to announce the launch of a dedicated stream for prospectors. This new initiative allows prospectors to target minerals across critical mineral and exploration streams, with funding opportunities of up to $50,000 per project. Additionally, recipients can benefit from the Indigenous Participation Incentive, potentially adding an extra $15,000 in funding per project.

All projects in the prospectors 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:

  • the prospector must possess an Ontario prospecting license for a minimum of one year before the date of the application
  • the claims where work is planned must be in good standing with the first year of assessment work filed and approved
  • the prospector must hold at least 25% interest in the claim where eligible activity will occur
  • the prospector must not be associated with a junior mining company for any claims receiving OJEP funding
  • prospectors may apply for one project per intake period

Apply

The 2025–2026 intake period takes place from July 3 to July 31, 2025 for projects with eligible activities starting on or after April 1, 2025.

The deadline for applications is July 31, 2025 at 4 p.m. Daylight Savings Time.

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 intake:

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

The following recipients received OJEP funding as part of the second intake:

Company nameApproved funding amount
Angus Gold Inc.$200,000
Canadian Gold Miner Corp.$200,000
Conquest Resources Ltd.$200,000
Copper Lake Resources Ltd.$200,000
Cross River Ventures Corp.$101,804
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$171,250
Goldseek Resources Inc.$45,869
Griftco Corp.$71,075
Harfang Exploration Inc.$200,000
Hemlo Explorers Inc.$200,000
International Lithium Corp.$200,000
Kesselrun Resources Inc.$200,000
Manitou Gold Inc.$200,000
MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd.$200,000
Midex Resources Ltd.$108,500
Mistango River Resources Inc.$200,000
New Break Resources Ltd.$200,000
Nexus Gold$92,045
Pavey Ark$63,800
Platinex Inc.$80,000
Red Pine Exploration Inc.$200,000
SPC Nickel Corp.$200,000
Transition Metals$200,000
Ursa Major Minerals Inc.$200,000
Val d’Or Mining Corp.$99,619
VR Resources Inc.$200,000
Warrior Gold Inc.$200,000
Whitefish Exploration Inc.$58,150

The following received OJEP funding 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

The following received OJEP funding as part of the fourth intake:

Company nameFunding amount
1796795 Ontario Inc. O/A Flyrock Capital$64,437
1796796 Ontario Inc. O/A Maelstrom Mining$43,007
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 Canada Inc.$200,000
Fladgate Exploration Consulting Corp.$107,823
Green Shift Commodities Ltd.$74,222
Heritage Mining Ltd.$200,000
Holbik Exploration$47,632
JoBina Resources Ltd.$200,000
Libra Lithium Corp.$200,000
Kesselrun Resources Ltd.$170,838
Metal Energy Corp.$200,000
Metals Creek Resources Corp.$31,277
Mink Ventures Corp.$75,353
Mistango River Resources Inc.$200,000
New Break Resources Ltd.$200,000
Noble Mineral Exploration Inc.$76,000
Northstar 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

The following received OJEP funding as part of the fifth intake:

Company nameFunding amount
1796795 Ontario Inc.$200,000
1796796 Ontario Inc.$200,000
2873454 Ontario Inc.$200,000
Angus Gold Inc.$200,000
Ashley Gold Corp.$83,175
Axies Canada Inc.$22,657
Beyond Lithium Inc.$70,442
Big Gold Inc.$75,324
BTU Metals Corp.$152,575
Canada Critical Resources Corp.$200,000
Canadian Gold Corp.$21,566
Canadian Gold Miner Corp.$102,615
Cascade Copper Corp.$49,055
Clean Air Metals Inc.$128,331
Consolidated Tanager Ltd.$198,899
Delta Resources Ltd.$200,000
Dryden Gold Corp.$200,000
EV Minerals Corp.$515
EV Nickel Inc.$200,000
Exiro Minerals Canada Corp.$13,743
Explor Resources Inc.$75,898
Fairtide Ventures Ltd.$200,000
Falcon Mining Inc.$200,000
First Class Metals Canada Inc.$118,550
Fladgate Exploration Consulting Corp.$200,000
Generation PGM Inc.$200,000
GFG Resources Inc.$200,000
Goldshore Resources Inc.$200,000
Gossan Resources Ltd.$89,856
Hak Resources Development Corp.$31,675
Heritage Mining Ltd.$200,000
Imagine Lithium Inc.$200,000
Insight Exploration Inc.$128,988
International Lithium Corp.$200,000
Inventus Mining Corp.$200,000
Jobina Resources Inc.$200,000
Jordan Ray Clements$22,160
Kenorland Minerals Ltd.$200,000
Kesselrun Resources Ltd.$200,000
Kirkland Lake Discoveries Corp.$200,000
Libra Lithium Corp.$178,628
Lost Hope Mine Ltd.$6,100
Metalcorp Ltd.$49,358
Midex Resources Ltd.$51,047
Mink Ventures Corp.$80,709
Mulga Minerals Inc.$160,762
Neotech Metals Corp.$200,000
New Break Resources Ltd.$200,000
Nexgold Mining Corp.$200,000
Noble Mineral Exploration Inc.$83,463
Nortec Minerals Corp.$190,830
Oakhurst Exploration Corp.$73,489
Osprey Advanced Materials Corp.$115,432
Pan American Energy Corp.$200,000
Panther Metals (Canada) Ltd.$56,930
Patriot Lithium Canada Inc.$160,003
Perseverance Metals Inc.$18,801
Plethora Green Energy Corp.$200,000
Power Metals Corp.$200,000
Prospector Metals Corp.$174,350
PTX Metals Inc.$200,000
Renegade Gold Inc.$171,900
Riverside Resources Inc.$78,232
Root Lake Resources Ltd.$82,925
Sierra Development Services Inc.$85,054
Sky Gold Corp.$131,364
Solstice Gold Corp.$135,108
Sparton Resources Inc.$169,118
Spod Lithium Corp.$15,573
Springer Mineral Resources Corp.$5,051
Sterling Metals Corp.$200,000
Transition Metals Corp.$200,000
Transpacific Resources Inc.$40,950
Volta Metals Ltd.$75,632
Wabassi Resources ULC.$200,000
Whitefish Exploration Inc.$161,370
Xplore Resources Holdings Corp.$82,154