The operation received the funding from the Natural Resources Canada Clean Growth Program; the C$155 million investment fund provides money for energy, mining and forestry initiatives that include clean technology research, development and demonstration, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Goldcorp CEO and president David Garofalo said the company feels diesel's days in underground mining are numbered.

"Electrification of our mobile fleet is a logical way to significantly reduce the mine's environmental footprint," he added.

The mining operator has been partnering with partners in the supplier realm, such as Maclean Engineering and Sandvik, as well as provincial and federal governments and First Nations, to commercialise cleantech, boost its health and safety performance and reduce emissions with the end goal of improving mines' viability, sustainability and profitability.

Borden, located in Chapleau, is projected to begin commercial production sometime in the latter half of next year.

The 100%-owned mine is part of Goldcorp's efforts to increase production at its operations by 20% by 2021. Officials said its output will make up about one third of the Porcupine region's production in 2020.