GREATER SUDBURY, ON, Feb. 23, 2026 /CNW/ - Frontier Lithium Inc. (TSXV: FL) (FRA: HL2) (OTC: LITOF) ("Frontier" or the "Company") welcomes today's announcement by The Honourable George Pirie, Ontario's Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, confirming that construction has begun on the Berens Bridge and Road Project (available here). The construction of the bridge will be completed through an agreement with Pikangikum First Nation and Whitefeather Forest Community Resource Management Authority ("WFCRMA") with a general contractor to oversee the construction. All construction permitting will be secured and held by WFCRMA for the construction activities and the construction will be completed in accordance with these detailed designs.
The Berens Bridge & Road Project will deliver:
- A two-lane bridge across the Berens River in Northern Ontario
- More than 30 kilometres of new and upgraded all-season road links
Improved year-round access for several Treaty #5 First Nation communities. The Berens Bridge & Road infrastructure will enhance safety, reduce the cost of goods, and improve access to essential services for thousands of residents across the region. Pikangikum and WFCRMA have selected a general contractor, for the construction of the Berens River Bridge. Rock drilling and blasting began last week to produce materials required to prepare the bridge site. Additional onsite work, including construction of a temporary bridge, will continue through the spring (2026), with the final, permanent bridge expected to be completed in 2028.
Minister Pirie's leadership has been central to advancing infrastructure that strengthens northern communities, reduces barriers to development, and supports Ontario's growing critical minerals sector. Today's announcement builds on a series of provincial initiatives in 2026 aimed at expanding transportation infrastructure, modernizing permitting through the recently enacted, One Project, One Process ("1P1P"), strengthening energy reliability, and supporting economic reconciliation with Indigenous communities.
"Ontario's commitment to building and upgrading northern infrastructure is creating real momentum in the region," said Trevor Walker, President and Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Lithium. "The start of construction on the Berens Bridge and Road Project is a milestone for Pikangikum First Nation and neighbouring communities, and we applaud Minister Pirie and community leaders for advancing this transformative work."
"This progress aligns with the pathway Ontario is building for critical minerals," added Mr. Walker. "Improved all-season access is essential for community well-being and for responsibly advancing projects like Frontier's PAK Lithium Project. We remain committed to working in partnership with Indigenous communities and governments as the region continues to grow."
The announcement reinforces Ontario's broader strategy to accelerate responsible development in its Northern region. In addition to investments in strengthening transmission lines, winter roads, and clean energy projects, and supported by the new 1P1P permitting model, the Province of Ontario is establishing a predictable and coordinated environment that enables the responsible development of new clean-energy supply chain projects.
Frontier congratulates Pikangikum First Nation, regional leadership, and the Province of Ontario on this important milestone of initiating construction on the Berens River Bridge and Road Project and looks forward to continued collaboration as construction moves forward.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Trevor Walker
President & Chief Executive Officer
About Frontier Lithium
Frontier Lithium Inc. is a pre-production mining company with an objective to become a strategic and integrated supplier of premium spodumene concentrates as well as battery-grade lithium salts to the growing electric vehicle, and energy storage markets in North America. The Company's PAK Lithium Project maintains the largest land position and resource in a premium lithium mineral district located in Ontario's Great Lakes region.
About the PAK Lithium Project
The PAK Lithium Project is a fully integrated critical minerals initiative in Ontario, developing a high-grade, large scale lithium resource. Operated as a joint venture between Frontier (92.5%) and Mitsubishi Corporation (7.5%), the project is advancing in parallel with a mine and mill, north of Red Lake, Ontario and a downstream lithium conversion facility in Thunder Bay, Ontario, which are both key to supporting a secure domestic lithium supply for the clean energy transition. A 2025 Mine and Mill Feasibility Study (FS), prepared by DRA Global Limited and entitled National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report FS PAK Lithium Project, Mine and Mill, outlines a 31-year Project life with an after-tax net present value of $932 million at an 8% discount rate and an after-tax internal rate of return of 17.9%. These results have been disclosed in the Company's press release dated May 28, 2025, and the accompanying technical report was filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) on July 9, 2025.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements contained in this news release may include, but are not limited to, estimated capital allocated by the Company to the Projects, the Beren's ridge project, its funding and eligible cost reimbursements, the PAK Lithium Project and its estimated economics, and statements with respect to: capital requirements and private and/or public financing initiatives and completion of these financings (if any), estimated mineral resources, estimated capital costs to construct a mine and conversion facilities, estimated operating costs, estimated cash flows, net present value, the feasibility study and references thereto, and statements that address future production, resource and reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects, including but not limited to capital and operating costs, timelines, internal rates of return, and project development milestones.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include: market prices for commodities, increases in capital or operating costs, construction risks, availability of infrastructure including roads, regulatory and permitting risks, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, financing costs, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and those actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, please review the Company's public filings available at www.sedarplus.ca.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Frontier Lithium Inc.
Company Contact Information: Bora Ugurgel, Senior Manager, Investor Relations, 2614 Belisle Drive, Val Caron, Greater Sudbury, Ontario, P3N 1B3 CANADA, T. +001 705.897.7622, F. +001 705.897.7618
