Ring of Fire Updates Weekly News Roundup

October 6-12, 2019 : Weekly News Roundup

People have a lot to say about the proposed ferrochrome smelter in Sault Ste. Marie, which would process the minerals extracted from Noront’s chromite mines in the so-called Ring of Fire. Residents of Sault Ste. Marie used a Noront information session and a federal election debate to express their concerns about the smelter, while a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce spoke publicly about feeling that there was too much regulation on projects like the smelter.

Meanwhile Webequie First Nation held an open house in Thunder Bay as part of the consultation process for the environmental assessment process they are leading for the Webequie Supply Road project.

October 9, 2019 (Soo Today):

National business leader blasts ferrochrome approval process

“Overlapping regulations across different levels of government are stifling investment…”

“Saultites are suffering because of the tangled web of overlapping government approvals needed for Noront’s proposed ferrochrome smelter here, a veteran federal politician and business leader told members of the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.  “I want to be clear. Civic engagement is important and communities must have a voice in project development,” said Perrin Beatty, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.” Read more here…

October 10, 2019 (Northern Ontario Business):

First Nation takes the lead on Ring of Fire supply road

Webequie First Nation hosts Thunder Bay open house to kick off EA process

“A First Nation community is breaking new ground in leading the environmental assessment and consultation process on a proposed short supply road to the Ring of Fire. Webequie First Nation, the closest fly-in community to the James Bay mineral belt, is hosting a series of public information sessions in Thunder Bay this week to share information with the public about the road project and to gather feedback. It’s part of the early stages of a larger environmental assessment (EA) process that’s underway for a planned 107-kilometre all-season road between the Webequie Airport and the area around McFaulds Lake, better known as the Ring of Fire, 535 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.” Read more here…

October 11, 2019 (CTV News: Northern Ontario):

‘Stride’ hosts federal election debate

“Noront, the company that plans on bringing the smelter to the city, will be doing an environmental assessment, but some young people feel it isn’t enough. “I’m not really put at ease knowing that there’s going to be an environmental assessment until I know what exactly they ‘re going to be assessing for and who’s going to be doing it and making sure that it’s a third party. I think that we’ve got enough to worry about here in Sault Ste. Marie with health as it stands,” said Angela Caputo, local business owner. Candidates say this is something that needs to be addressed.” Read more here…

October 17, 2019 (Northern Ontario Business):

Ring of Fire developer faces tide of opposition to Sault ferrochrome plant

Noront CEO seeks to clear the air on smelter technology, environmental safeguards

Erin Brockovich might be the most watched movie in Sault Ste. Marie these days. When Noront Resources president Alan Coutts grabs the mic at the Delta Hotel on Oct.23 for the first of, likely, many community presentations, he’ll have to reassure residents that the Sault won’t become Hinkley, Calif., and remind them that his company’s proposed ferrochrome smelter isn’t getting built anytime soon. “We have no interest or intention of doing anything that could potentially harm the people of Sault Ste. Marie or our (future) employees,” Coutts told Northern Ontario Business.” Read more here…

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