The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that Ottawa is investing up to $400-million into Teck's Trail smelter in British Columbia and gearing up to stockpile strategic metals as part of its multibillion-dollar drive to bolster North American supplies. The Globe's Niall McGee writes that the investment is the inaugural one from the $2-billion Critical Minerals Sovereign Fund launched last year and since renamed the Canada Critical Minerals Accelerator (CCMA). The investment comes through the $15-billion Canada Growth Fund via an "equity-like" structure. While the exact financial terms were not disclosed, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson told reporters at the announcement in Trail, B.C., on Tuesday that it will be structured like a royalty to earn a return based on a cut of the profit margins from the metal sales. Ottawa said the Canada Growth Fund investment could double Trail's existing production of germanium and antimony and potentially add new gallium production. The government also said it will enter negotiations on an off-take agreement with Teck which would give it the right to purchase a portion of the future germanium, antimony and potentially gallium produced at Trail.