The Ontario government has opened the sixth round of applications for the Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP), a funding program that helps junior mining companies and prospectors with early-stage mineral exploration. The goal is to support economic activity and job creation, with a focus on northern and Indigenous communities.
This latest intake includes two new updates. First, a dedicated Prospectors Stream has been added, offering individual prospectors up to $50,000 per project. Second, there’s additional support to encourage Indigenous participation, providing up to $15,000 in extra funding per approved project.
Junior mining companies are eligible for up to $200,000 in funding, with the added Indigenous Participation support raising that total to $215,000. Prospectors can now receive up to $65,000 per project.
This expanded program aims to encourage more activity in Ontario’s mineral exploration sector, particularly in areas where it can make a strong local impact.