Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - June 15, 2026) - Québec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE: QIMC) (OTCQB: QIMCF) (FSE: 7FJ) ("QIMC" or the "Company"), a recognized industry leader in natural clean hydrogen exploration and development in Canada and North America, is proud to celebrate the adoption, Royal Assent, and coming into force of Bill 17, An Act to amend the Act respecting natural gas storage and natural gas and oil pipelines in order to authorize the implementation of a pilot project relating to the exploration for underground reservoirs or certain fluids, or their operation or exploitation, on Friday, June 12, 2026. This legislation establishes a clear regulatory framework for the responsible exploration and development of clean natural hydrogen in Québec.

A Historic Day for Québec's Clean Energy Future

The passage of Bill 17 into law marks a defining moment for Québec's energy landscape and for QIMC. For the first time, natural hydrogen - a clean, naturally occurring gas generated deep within the Earth, essentially free of methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) - has a formal legal home in Québec's legislative framework. This is the kind of proactive, forward-thinking governance that positions Québec as one of the first movers on the global stage.

QIMC wishes to extend its deepest and most sincere gratitude to the members of the parliamentary committee of the National Assembly for their proactiveness, diligence, and vision in shepherding this legislation to completion. The cross-party interest demonstrated throughout the committee process - including the thoughtful and constructive questions posed by opposition members - reflects the broad recognition that natural clean hydrogen represents a strategic priority for Québec's economic and environmental future.

"Today is a day of immense pride for our entire team and for every stakeholder who has believed in the extraordinary potential of natural clean hydrogen in Québec," said John Karagiannidis, President and Chief Executive Officer of QIMC. "The Royal Assent of Bill 17 and its immediate coming into force are the result of leadership from the Québec government. We thank them wholeheartedly for recognizing natural hydrogen as a pillar of Québec's clean energy transition and for creating an important regulatory foundation for the responsible development of this emerging sector."

QIMC's Role: An Industry Leader at the Table

On June 3, 2026, QIMC was honoured to appear before the parliamentary committee of the National Assembly of Québec to testify on Bill 17 - an invitation that recognized QIMC's experience and leadership in natural hydrogen exploration. As an early mover in Canada in the development of a science-based model for natural hydrogen exploration, QIMC brought to the committee its unique technical knowledge, field experience from both Québec and Nova Scotia, and a proven track record of responsible development.

QIMC's testimony highlighted several critical dimensions of the natural hydrogen opportunity in Québec: the province's exceptional geological formations conducive to the generation of pure natural hydrogen; the results of gas composition analysis confirming that Québec's hydrogen resources are essentially free of methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂); and the transferable expertise QIMC has developed through its pioneering work in Nova Scotia, where analogous geological conditions have generated encouraging exploration results.

"Being invited to testify before the National Assembly as an industry leader was a privilege we do not take lightly," added Karagiannidis. "Natural hydrogen offers Québec a clean, local, and geologically renewable energy source. With Bill 17 now law, we are ready to move - and to move quickly."

Looking Ahead: Pilot Projects with the Québec Government

Bill 17 establishes, among other things, a formal framework for government-authorized pilot projects. QIMC looks forward with great enthusiasm to engaging with the Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie (MEIE) to advance these projects that could help position Québec among the leading jurisdictions in the emerging natural hydrogen sector.

QIMC is uniquely positioned to act swiftly, with a 5,000-metre drill permit already in place and precise geological targets identified in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region.

"We are eager to work with the Québec government, the communities and municipalities in Témiscamingue on pilot projects that will demonstrate what natural clean hydrogen can do for Québec," said Karagiannidis. "Our operational readiness means we can begin translating legislative progress into real-world results almost immediately. Québec has the geology, the clean energy infrastructure, and now the legislative framework. QIMC has the expertise, the permits, and the commitment. Together, we can help advance a responsible new clean-energy sector for Québec."

Honouring Our Partnership with the Témiscamingue First Nation

QIMC's approach to natural hydrogen development has always been grounded in respect, partnership, and community. Since the earliest stages of natural hydrogen exploration in the Lake Témiscamingue region - located within the traditional hunting and cultural territory of the Témiscamingue First Nation (TFN), an Algonquin (Anishinaabe) community based in Notre-Dame-du-Nord, Québec - QIMC has worked side-by-side with TFN members in the field, integrating Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge (ATK) into project design, environmental monitoring, and exploration planning.

This deep and enduring partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in October 2025 between QIMC, DiagnaMed Holdings Corp., and the Témiscamingue First Nation, establishing a framework for ongoing collaboration built on mutual respect, environmental stewardship, and equitable economic participation for TFN members.

The passage of Bill 17 is a milestone that QIMC shares proudly with its partners at the Témiscamingue First Nation. As Québec's natural hydrogen sector enters its next chapter, QIMC reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that the communities whose traditional lands intersect with this resource are full partners in its responsible development - benefiting from employment, training, contracting opportunities, and meaningful involvement in all stages of exploration and production.

"Our partnership with the Témiscamingue First Nation is not a formality - it is a cornerstone of who we are as a company and how we develop this resource," said Karagiannidis. "We are honoured to share this legislative milestone with Chief and Council and the entire TFN community. This journey belongs to all of us."

Advancing the Québec-Nova Scotia Clean Natural Hydrogen Corridor Vision

The coming into force of Bill 17 does more than establish a regulatory framework for one province - it advances an important component of QIMC's broader corporate vision: the potential development of a clean natural hydrogen corridor spanning Québec and Nova Scotia, covering Eastern Canada, and extending into the Northeast United States market.

This corridor concept is grounded in geology. QIMC pioneered natural hydrogen exploration in Nova Scotia, establishing the scientific and operational blueprint that is now being applied with confidence in Québec. The two provinces represent complementary opportunities within QIMC's broader Eastern Canada natural hydrogen strategy.

With Québec now operating under a formal legislative framework and Nova Scotia exploration actively advancing, QIMC is positioned to evaluate the potential development of hydrogen assets across Eastern Canada into a cohesive supply network. This corridor has the potential to deliver domestically produced, carbon-free natural hydrogen to one of the most energy-intensive and import-dependent regions in North America: the Northeast United States, encompassing markets in New England, New York, and beyond - markets that face mounting pressure to decarbonize their energy mix and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.

The potential strategic and economic implications are significant. A Québec-Nova Scotia hydrogen corridor could represent one of Canada's first integrated natural hydrogen supply-chain opportunities - one that leverages existing clean energy infrastructure, supports Indigenous economic participation, creates high-value jobs across Eastern Canada, and positions Canadian natural hydrogen as a competitive, clean alternative to conventional energy imports in the U.S. Northeast.

"Bill 17 is the final legislative cornerstone of something we have been building toward since day one," said Karagiannidis. "Our vision has always been larger than a single province or a single project. We are working toward a clean natural hydrogen corridor that stretches from the heart of Québec through Nova Scotia and into the Northeast U.S. - a corridor powered entirely by geological hydrogen that is essentially free of methane and CO₂, rooted in Indigenous partnership, and backed by world-class science. Today, that vision moves meaningfully closer to execution."

About Québec Innovative Materials Corp. (QIMC)

Québec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE: QIMC) (OTCQB: QIMCF) (FSE: 7FJ) is a leading North American exploration and development company advancing a portfolio of natural hydrogen and critical mineral projects. The Company is advancing its district-scale hydrogen exploration model across Québec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Minnesota through the application of its proprietary R2G2™ framework.

QIMC is focused on responsible exploration, technical innovation, and the advancement of natural hydrogen opportunities that may contribute to future clean-energy development initiatives.

For Further Information:

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, including but not limited to statements regarding the Company's plans to advance pilot projects with the MEIE, the commencement of drilling activities under its 5,000-metre permit, the development of natural hydrogen resources in Québec, and the Company's strategic objectives. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/301489

Source: Quebec Innovative Materials Corp.