Smelter pitch pays off for the Soo: Noront's ferrochrome plant promises jobs, prosperity.

• Author: Kelly, Lindsay

The May 7 announcement that Noront Resources would build its $l-billion chromite processing facility in Sault Ste. Marie is a positive sign for the city's industrial businesses.

Robert Cohen, president at Soo Foundry and Machine, said it's welcome news following a decade that saw the St. Marys Paper mill close, followed by Algoma Steel entering creditor protection, resulting in many small businesses fighting to stay viable.

"We saw a lot of customers we had between (the Sault) and Thunder Bay close, so on the industrial side, it's been quite a struggle," Cohen said.

"That's why I think this Ring of Fire development's going to fit a nice gap in not just Sault Ste. Marie but Northern Ontario to make up a lot of that."

Because the city was built on steelmaking, Cohen believes the Noront plant will offer plenty of synergies with the Algoma Steel plant.

Community support is strong, and the skill set amongst Sault workers will likely fit well with what Noront will need at its facility, he noted.

"We have a very good college in Sault College for training skilled labour," Cohen said.

The promise of new work could also give industrial shops confidence to make new investments, in both people and equipment and machinery.

"It's another positive aspect that might be years down the road," Cohen said. "But the announcement is very positive, and so might tip the pendulum in terms of investment, too."

Sault Mayor Christian Provenzano said the smelter announcement was the boost of confidence the city needed to get back on its feet.

"You're happy when you work hard on something and it pays off, but really I was happy for the community," Provenzano said.

"Our community's had a challenging four years and we needed a bit of a bounce. We deserved a bounce, we worked hard for one, and it came to pass."

Algoma Steel, the city's largest employer, had been embattled in a lengthy and complex creditor protection process since November, 2015.

That process wrapped up last fall, and the company has since come under new ownership, which has promised new investment into the operation.

Algoma Steel is now partnering with Noront to host the smelter and provide access to its adjacent port.

Noront chose the Sault following a 14-month vetting process that examined the viability of four Northern Ontario communities: the Sault, Sudbury, Thunder Bay and Timmins. Sudbury and Thunder Bay were eliminated last July.

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