Could latest $400K study finally kickstart Port of Algoma build?

A $400,000 announcement made Wednesday by the federal government will go toward answering a decades-old question in the Sault: is an investment into building the long-planned deep-water public Port of Algoma a project to get behind?

MP Terry Sheehan made the $400,000 announcement on Wednesday on the shore of the St. Marys River at the Port of Sault Ste. Marie, directly adjacent to the Roberta Bondar Pavilion where cruise ships routinely dock. If constructed, the public Port of Algoma would be situated on property currently owned by Algoma Steel.

The announcement was made by Sheehan on behalf of federal Transport Minister Anita Anand.

Mayor Matthew Shoemaker said although prospects of the decades-old Port of Algoma project becoming reality have been grim in previous years, it could serve as an economic diversification opportunity that could benefit the entire community.

"Sault Ste Marie as we know is strategically located right here at the heart of the Great Lakes with direct access to the United States. In spite of our location, we haven't always capitalized on it," said Shoemaker. "Developing the Port of Algoma is a key step to maximizing this geographic advantage. The development of the Port of Algoma holds enormous potential, not only for our local economy, but also for our entire region. It will strengthen our connectivity to global markets, create jobs and help us capitalize on the advantages that we are naturally blessed with."

Shoemaker said the study will identify the infrastructure investments and partners needed to bring the Port of Algoma to life.

"It will also help us understand the full scope of our opportunities and challenges involved, ensuring we make informed decisions in the best interests of our community and future generations," said Shoemaker.

Previous iterations of plans for the Port of Algoma have included numerous slips able to support hundreds of ships per year. Shoemaker told SooToday the most recently funded study will help to confirm what realistic capacity there is for ships.

"I mean, previous plans were great but they never developed into anything, right?" said Shoemaker. "I'd rather see something realistic that we can build on in the future if we need to expand it."

Noticeably absent from Wednesday's announcement was the current owner of the property, Algoma Steel.

Sheehan told SooToday that although Algoma Steel was not in attendance, the company has been granted approvals to modify the current port to support the electric arc furnace project.

"Part of the money [from the feasibility study] would be used to continue to work with stakeholders like Algoma Steel to identify these opportunities," said Sheehan.

Sheehan said the Port of Algoma would be a step in realizing a dream by former mayor John Rowswell of the Sault as a multi-modal hub.

Just over 10 years ago, a multi-million dollar announcement was made at the Civic Centre regarding the Port of Algoma, with then-mayor Debbie Amaroso, MP Bryan Hayes and MPP David Orazietti each committing funds toward the project, and Essar Steel kicking in $800,000. Those plans never materialized, as Essar Steel went into creditor protection in the following year.

The Port of Algoma lands were eventually severed from the Algoma Steel (then Essar Steel) property, and years of legal wrangling ensued for access to the lands.

Don Mitchell, who attended Wednesday's announcement as interim CEO of the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, was also at that 2014 announcement at the Civic Centre when he served as chair of the transportation and infrastructure committee. 

Mitchell told SooToday on Wednesday that there are a number of potential uses for the eventual public port, including supporting the shipping of natural resources like aggregates and lumber.

"At the steel plant, its docking system is, in many places,100 years old," he said. "It's got to be upgraded."

SooToday reached out to Algoma Steel about the announcement but has not yet received comment.

The full news release from MP Terry Sheehan can be seen below:

Canada has a vast marine transportation sector which is the foundation of much of the country's economic prosperity. Whether it's getting commodities to international markets, importing or exporting goods, or welcoming visitors to our world-class coastal tourism destinations - marine transportation helps make it happen.

The Government of Canada is supporting the marine industry's move to net-zero emissions. Today, Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, joined Mayor Matthew Shoemaker to announce funding to study and assess the possibility of creating a new public port. Through Transport Canada's Green Shipping Corridor Program, the government will be investing $405,300 in the study.

The City of Sault Ste. Marie occupies a strategically advantageous position along the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system. Port access at the nodal point of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron serves as a pivotal driver of regional sustainable growth and economic diversification. Marine transportation enables Sault Ste. Marie to be a globally cost competitive location for the shipment of materials, goods, and products, both in-bound and out-bound.

The proposed port development project aims to significantly augment the capacity of the port complex, fostering sustainability within key industries in the Sault Ste. Marie region. Enhanced marine transportation capabilities promise greater throughput of goods and commodities, offering a compelling cost advantage over alternative transportation modes.

By embracing environmentally friendly practices, the port aims to minimize its ecological footprint and contribute to the broader goal of building a sustainable infrastructure network. Groundwork has already been laid to collaborate with the City's local utility company, PUC Services Inc., to introduce green energy alternatives to service project infrastructure.

QUOTES:

"Sault Ste. Marie has great potential to grow as a hub of shipping on the Great Lakes, and can benefit from the many industries that are growing in Northern Ontario. This our growth. Making sure that our port has the capacity to serve these industries will project is a tremendous opportunity for Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District to continue benefit our whole community and its workers, and I am proud that our federal government is making this investment."

- Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie and Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors

"Sault Ste. Marie is strategically located in the heart of the Great Lakes with direct access to the United States. Developing the Port of Algoma is a key step in maximizing this geographic advantage. I'm optimistic that today's announcement marks significant progress toward this long-anticipated project."

- Matthew Shoemaker, Mayor of Sault Ste. Maire

"The proposed Port of Algoma will provide a tremendous economic boost to many of our local businesses as well as bring new and exciting opportunities that will help in the growth of our entire region. The Chamber offers its thanks to MP Terry Sheehan and our federal government for the support being provided to this very important and forward-thinking initiative."

- Don Mitchell, Interim CEO, Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce