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
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.