Sault council says no to energy project

Sault Ste. Marie city council is saying no to a proposed battery energy storage facility until it can get more information from the group behind the project.

The proposal from SB Energy, Bioveld Energy Ventures and The BMI Group is for a $300 million facility to be built on former industrial lands in the Canal District.

In order for the 'MillGen' energy project to be taken to the next regulatory step, council would have to vote to support the project in principle.

But meeting Tuesday, council wasn't satisfied with the information brought before them.

“It wasn’t clear to council what the end project would look like,” said Mayor Christian Provenzano.

“Council is very sensitive to that location because council is very appreciative of the Machine Shop property next door. So, council didn’t want to make a decision … until it understood how it would impact the abutting property and the neighbourhood.”

Other concerns centred on the buildings currently on the property and what plans -- if any -- there are to restore them. The motion to support the project was dropped entirely when the two councillors who moved it asked that their names be removed.

Provenzano said this is the first time that has happened during his eight-year tenure as mayor.

The project is by no means dead and will be brought back to council in November. Provenzano said he hopes council will keep an open mind when that happens, adding approval in principle is not final.