Unearthing Canada’s Foundation: How CGC’s Gypsum Mining Strategy Supports Our Housing Future

As Canada faces increasing demand for housing and infrastructure, the need for reliable, locally sourced building materials has never been clearer. At the heart of that need is gypsum, a natural mineral used for generations in the walls and ceilings of homes, schools, offices and community spaces across the country.

Drywall, made from processed gypsum, is known to many Canadians as Sheetrock ®, CGC’s trusted brand that has become a standard in construction and a symbol of quality. As the company behind this innovation, CGC has led advancements in gypsum-based building materials for more than a century.

Today, we are strengthening the domestic supply chain and helping build stronger communities by harnessing Canada’s rich, high-quality gypsum deposits. Through long-term investments in mining and manufacturing, we are strengthening the country’s fully integrated, coast-to-coast network of locally made materials to help keep cost of construction stable and meet growing demand.

Building for the Future at Little Narrows

Since 1954, the gypsum mine and shipping facility in Little Narrows, Nova Scotia has been a key supplier of gypsum rock to our factories in North America, as well as a key economic driver and community contributor in that region of Cape Breton Island. Following a 10-year period of being on Care and Maintenance, we proudly announced a $104 million investment in 2023 to re-launch the Little Narrows site with significant upgrades, targeting a re-opening in 2026.

This revitalization includes a new dock and automated ship loading system, advanced crusher and conveyor systems, a quality control lab, and state-of-the-art mining equipment that will produce up to 2 million tonnes of raw gypsum per year, that will be shipped by vessel directly from our dock to factories in Canada and the USA.

With well over 50 years of reserve life, this investment will help support Canadian homebuilding for generations to come, while reducing local developers’ reliance on imported materials.

Why Gypsum Matters

Often overlooked in the national homebuilding conversation, gypsum is a crucial raw material behind drywall in nearly every Canadian home.

Mining natural gypsum in Canada helps keep development costs and timelines manageable. As Canada faces trade tensions, new tariffs, supply constraints and labour shortages, the strength of our domestic mining and manufacturing sector has never been more important. Without a local, reliable supply of gypsum, construction projects can stall, costs can rise and Canada’s ambitious housing and infrastructure goals become even harder to achieve.

What makes Little Narrows so pivotal is not just its scale, but its exceptional rock quality, strategic location and central role in CGC’s national strategy to strengthen the domestic supply chain. Alongside our $210 million investment to open our Wheatland manufacturing plant in Alberta, Little Narrows is a defining investment in our $325 million commitment to ensure a resilient, Canadian supply chain for homebuilding materials.

Mining Approach

CGC’s mining strategy, from how we run our mining operations to how we transport natural gypsum to our manufacturing plants, is built on three core pillars:

• Safety:
  Safety is the foundation of everything we do — from mine to manufacturing plant and all steps in between. We prioritize the well-being of our team members, not just by managing physical hazards, but by supporting their overall wellness. Daily safety meetings, continuous training, and innovative technologies such as simulators ensure our staff have the skills and confidence to operate safely every day.
• Efficiency:
  As part of a vast North American network, gypsum rock is transported efficiently by vessel and rail to the manufacturing plants across our North American network. This integrated approach allows us to maintain a steady supply even when faced with challenges like severe weather, tariffs or labour disruptions. Our diversified logistics and contingency planning help keep projects, and the country, moving.
• Social Responsibility:
  We are committed to responsible land use, environmental stewardship and restoring sites for future generations. At Little Narrows, for instance, we have been continually regreening our property, and will continue to do so. We also use advanced equipment and innovative extracting and shipping practices to help lower emissions at all stages of the supply chain.

The investments we’ve made in Little Narrows are about more than just ensuring product availability, they are building stronger communities. This newly restored site will create numerous well-paid jobs and open more opportunities for community giving — supporting regional economies, skills development and innovation in Canadian manufacturing.

Looking Ahead

Today, Sheetrock® Brand drywall is a trusted name in the Canadian construction industry and a top choice for builders, contractors and major retailers nationwide. By prioritizing responsible mining and investing in domestic manufacturing, we are helping create resilient supply chains, strong communities and opportunities for Canadians. As we look ahead, we remain committed to innovation, partnership and sustainable growth for generations to come.

Thank you to the employees, partners and communities who make this work possible and help keep Canada building.