In an article for The Hub, Future Materials Alliance Director Richard Hiller explores why Canada must build more midstream processing capacity and strengthen a critical minerals-to-materials value chain, rather than exporting raw resources for others to refine and manufacture.

We've officially launched the Future Materials Alliance - a new coalition to accelerate the sustainable integration of Western and Northern Canada into critical materials supply chains. The Future Materials Alliance is founded on a simple premise: no single organization or policy can unlock Canada's critical materials opportunity alone. Coordination is the fastest path from strategy to execution.

The Energy Futures Lab is pleased to welcome Suzanne Life-Yeomans to the Energy Futures Lab team as Indigenous Relations Lead to strengthen and guide our relationships with Indigenous Nations, communities and organizations - especially as they relate to emerging, low-emission economic development opportunities.

The Energy Futures Lab is pleased to announce the addition of Fatema F. Hardwarewala to our leadership team as Director, People & Finance. In this role, Fatema will lead the financial stewardship, people practices, governance, and internal operations of the Lab.

We're pleased to welcome RBC Foundation as a funder as we continue bringing partners together to advance Canada's critical materials future.

Alison Cretney of the Energy Futures Lab provided testimony to the House of Commons INDU Committee on the impacts of U.S. tariffs on Canada’s metallurgical and advanced manufacturing sectors, highlighting the need for a more integrated and resilient critical materials strategy for Canada.

The Lab welcomes Richard Hiller as Director, Future Materials Alliance. Richard will lead efforts in advancing the FMA at a pivotal moment, as global demand accelerates and jurisdictions compete to secure their critical minerals supply chains. As Director, Richard will help coordinate action across sectors, create alignment between policy and investment, and enable progress toward a more resilient and competitive materials ecosystem.

MoUs don’t make mines, and partnerships don’t build processing facilities. What happens after the ink dries? By Ailsa Popilian and Marla Orenstein. Originally published in The Hub, April 15, 2026

The Lab welcomes Marla Orenstein as Director, Partnerships & Impact. Marla will lead efforts to turn insight into further action, connecting leaders across sectors to drive sustainable energy innovation, lower emissions, and stronger collaboration across the system to build the economic engines of the future—helping Alberta and Canada shape a more resilient and prosperous energy future.