Crawford Clears Penultimate Federal Permitting Hurdle; Final Decision Targeted Early Summer 2026

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC)  has published its draft Impact Assessment Report (IAR) for the Crawford Nickel Project, including preliminary conclusions and proposed conditions of approval. The publication marks the penultimate stage of the federal Impact Assessment process and places Crawford one step from a final federal permitting decision, targeted for early summer 2026. Crawford is the first mining project to reach this stage under Canada's 2019 Impact Assessment Act, which requires projects to demonstrate positive outcomes across health, social, and economic dimensions, as well as for Indigenous peoples' rights.

Company Overview

Canada Nickel (TSXV: CNC | OTCQX: CNIKF) is advancing the next generation of nickel-sulphide projects to deliver nickel required to feed the high-growth electric vehicle and stainless steel markets. Canada Nickel is traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol CNC and on the OTCQX under the ticker symbol CNIKF.

Crawford Reaches Penultimate Federal Permitting Stage

Canada Nickel recently announced that the IAAC has published its draft IAR for the Crawford Nickel Project, including preliminary conclusions and proposed conditions of approval. The publication places Crawford one step from a final federal permitting decision, which the company expects to receive in early summer 2026. Crawford is the first mining project to reach this stage under Canada's 2019 Impact Assessment Act.

Draft IAR Published

The IAAC's publication of the draft IAR, including preliminary conclusions and proposed conditions of approval, marks the penultimate stage of the federal Impact Assessment process.

Chief Executive Officer of Canada Nickel, Mark Selby, is direct on both the milestone and what follows it.

"Crawford has now cleared every major milestone in the federal Impact Assessment process, and we remain firmly on track for a final permitting decision by early this summer."

First Project Under Canada's 2019 Impact Assessment Act

The regulatory sequence began with the company's Impact Statement submission in November 2024, followed by IAAC comments in May 2025, the company's responses in December 2025, and the formal initiation of the Impact Assessment phase in March 2026.

Selby frames what the 2019 Act demands of a project like Crawford.

"Canada's Impact Assessment Act came into force in 2019 with a significantly broader mandate than its predecessor legislation, requiring projects to demonstrate not just environmental responsibility, but positive outcomes across health, social, and economic dimensions, and for Indigenous peoples' rights."

Crawford Nickel Project

The Crawford Nickel Project is a 100%-owned flagship asset of Canada Nickel, located in the Timmins-Cochrane mining camp in Ontario. The company advanced Crawford from the first drill holes to this milestone in just over six years.

On the pace of development and what reaching this stage under the new standards represents, Selby puts it this way.

"To have advanced Crawford from first drill holes to this milestone in just over six years, as the first mining project to do so under these more rigorous standards, reflects the quality of our team and the depth of work we have put into this Project."

Next Steps

The final outstanding step in the federal Impact Assessment process is the issuance of a permitting decision by the federal government. That decision is targeted for early summer 2026. The company has stated a broader goal of developing processes for net-zero carbon nickel, cobalt, and iron production for the electric vehicle and stainless steel markets.