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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Auston Matthews returns for Game 7, but Leafs minus injured goaltender Joseph Woll
Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews returned to the lineup for Game 7 against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.