Still in the running

Competition among municipalities might be a good thing when it comes to attracting a ferrochrome processing plant to the region, says the province’s mining minister.

Minster of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry Michael Gravelle, speaking on the second day of a Ring of Fire infrastructure conference at the Valhalla Inn Thursday, said he ran into some trouble earlier this year when discussing a possible location for the smelter.

"If I was specifying that it should be in one community I would be certainly in a position where it would be difficult for me to maintain the kind of credibility I need to continue our work with Cliff’s (Natural Resources) and with the other companies," the minister said Thursday.

Thunder Bay’s mining exploration manager John Mason said he welcomes the competition from Sudbury, Greenstone and Timmins

"Competition’s a key thing. It brings out the best in everybody," Mason said.

While only on the job for two weeks, Mason said even though Cliff’s has outlined Sudbury as a base case location, Thunder Bay offers a port and rail access.

The fact that Thunder Bay was used as Cliff’s first office in the region and conferences for the Ring of Fire continue to take place in the city shows that it’s in the running.

"Thunder Bay is not a mining town but it’s a regional service centre, a regional mining service centre and that’s the vision for the community," Mason said.

Greenstone Coun. Jay Daiter said even though his municipality is fighting hard for the facility, it’s important that Northwestern Ontario focus on the regional benefits that the Ring of Fire development can bring.

"There’s an interesting sort of a shift around the ability to recognize what’s good for the region," said Daiter.

Gravelle agreed.

While there will only be one site chosen for a smelter, the already $5 billion mining industry in Northwestern Ontario will bring all kinds of benefits.

"There are enormous other opportunities for an economic development point of view that can come to all other communities," he said.

But those opportunities won’t come until infrastructure is built.

Noront proposes an east-to-west all-weather road to Pickle Lake, while KWG and Cliff’s propose a north- to-south corridor in Nakina.

Those companies met Thursday with First Nations leaders to find common ground on infrastructure.

While the province has a huge role to play, the companies, First Nations and the federal government will ultimately decide, Gravelle said.

"Will it be rail? Will it be road? Which route is it going? East-west? north-south? We’ve come a long way, I believe, here at the Ring of Fire infrastructure conference," Gravelle said. "Moving toward a better understanding that that decision needs to be made relatively soon."