Sault ramping up marketing of vacant industrial land

A push by the City of Sault Ste. Marie to sell off industrial land will soon begin in earnest.

The city’s economic development committee is meeting with its legal team and a Realtor as it ponders the best means of advertising the lands to potential buyers, while guarding against speculators.

During a recent committee meeting, it was decided the lands will be posted on MLS listings, which is a first for the city. And in an effort to deter speculators, the committee wants to add a stipulation that something must be built on the land within one year of purchase.

The lands being discussed are currently vacant, with no structure on the site.

Mayor Matthew Shoemaker said with a number of former institutional properties sitting vacant, it’s important buyers actually do something to develop the land.

“Out-of-town investors have bought up these properties -- nothing’s happened with them,” Shoemaker said.

“The old hospital is an example, the old St. Marys Paper site is an example, and there were a number of schools where they were just falling into disrepair and no investment being put into them, and that we do not want to see.”

Meantime, the economic development committee said more details on the endeavour could be announced next week.