Sault officials say time is right to push deep-sea port plan

Sault Ste. Marie pushes for deep-sea port ahead of Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference, citing job creation and trade potential.

With the annual meeting of Ontario municipalities less than two weeks away, one thing is top of mind for Sault Ste. Marie’s delegation: a deep-sea port.

With nation-building projects now up for discussion in the wake of the trade war with the U.S., officials said now is the time to seek provincial support for the project.

The green future of Algoma Steelthe means that the site will be viable for decades to come, but the switch to the electric arc furnace means about a thousand employees will lose their jobs.

The creation of a new port would soften the blow for many workers.

Plan represents ‘hope’

“The Port of Algoma represents that hope, I would say, to keep those jobs here, to keep them almost on site, frankly, because the port would be in the vicinity of Algoma Steel,” said Mayor Matthew Shoemaker.

“And to try and … spur another industry in town that is going to help not just the steel plant, but in all the manufacturing and trade sectors in the community.”

Last fall, the federal government funded a study to look into the port, which should be complete in the next month. It’s working from a previous study deemed overly ambitious that should lead to scope for the project -- and a price tag.

“The updated numbers are going to depend on how much we have to dredge, whether it’s one slip or two,” Shoemaker said.

“And that’s all the work that’s being done right now to figure out exactly the size and scope of the project.”

Algoma Steel’s port is currently only able to be used by other industries when not required by the steel company. That can lead to delays and a slow down in the transportation process.

“When you look at where Sault Ste. Marie is on the map, especially if you’re looking at the map of Canada, pretty much right in the middle,” said Sault MPP Chris Scott.

“When we talk about supply chain resiliency and getting that east-west trade corridor, having something like a port that has access year-round becomes extremely attractive.”

The deep-sea port will be the main priority for the Sault when officials head to the AMO Conference in Ottawa, where they have already secured meetings with several critical ministries.The deep-sea port will be the main priority for the Sault when officials head to the AMO Conference in Ottawa, where they have already secured meetings with several critical ministries.

Scott said the port would be the exact type of nation-building project that the federal government would support, with Ontario’s backing.