With Noront's ferrochrome plant back in the news this week, SooToday asked all five candidates in the Oct. 21 federal election for their views on the project.
The following are their responses, which in some cases have been abridged and/or edited for style:
Terry Sheehan (Liberal Party of Canada)
This project represents an enormous opportunity for Sault Ste. Marie.
However, I know that there are concerns about what effect this will have on the environment.
As Liberals, we believe that job creation and the environment go hand-in-hand, which is why we are committed to conducting a thorough environmental assessment of the project.
I would never risk the health and safety of our families, workers, and community.
If the environmental assessment shows that this project would pose a threat to the people of Sault Ste. Marie, I will not support it.
It is up to Noront and its project partners to ensure that their plans meet the health and environmental standards that Sault Ste. Marie expects and deserves.
I encourage residents to attend and participate in the public consultations, which begin on Oct. 23.
Sara McCleary (New Demcratic Party)
The ferrochrome plant is an opportunity to bring jobs to the Sault.
However, it’s essential that every new project follows a thorough environmental assessment, to ensure high environmental and sustainability standards.
The safety of workers and people living around the plant, as well as our environment, cannot be compromised.
I live next to the steel plant and I understand the concerns that come with a development of that nature so close to our homes.
As your MP, I'll work with the plant owners to do just that.
We need the highest environmental standards and the best technology to be in place to ensure arduous monitoring once operation begins.
You can count on me to work with our municipal and provincial representatives, as well as the plant owners, to include the community in the decision-making process, and work to make the arrival of the ferrochrome plant as smooth as possible.
The engagement and approbation of the community is essential for this project to move forward.
This needs to be a partnership with the plant owners and the community, so everyone is able to share their thoughts and concerns.
Sonny Spina (Conservative Party of Canada)
Our community partners fought hard for these jobs. That coordinated effort resulted in Sault Ste. Marie being chosen as the city for this economic boost.
Any development project of this scale must come with significant due diligence at the city, and other levels of government.
I think we should allow these important processes to get underway so that the public can be fully informed, and so that fully informed decisions can be made.
With your support on October 21, I will work with all sides to ensure that we grow the Sault and that our local environment and the health of our citizens remain top priorities.
Geo McLean (Green Party of Canada)I am not categorically against the smelter's presence in Sault Ste. Marie. Honestly, without consultation with Noront and prior to environmental assessments, I doubt anyone will be sufficiently well informed to make a decision.
However, based on what I have read thus far about chromite, I have significant concern about the location of the proposed site. By placing it in the center of a city, on a major waterway, this saves Noront a significant amount in operation costs.
However being in a city, on a major waterway and on an international border is not where they would be operating if safety was a priority.
Before materials even get to the plant, there is potential for exposure.
Then, in the plant, there is storage of materials, processing of product, processing of byproducts, and storage of waste. In each step there is the potential for exposure of carcinogenic materials to the air, into the land, and into the watershed.
If their proposal was to set up outside of the city, I would be more confident in this project.
Economically, it could certainly be beneficial. I would love to see the Soo thrive.
Amy Zuccato (People’s Party of Canada)
The Noront ferrochrome project is potentially a long-term employment opportunity so it must be seriously considered but our environment should remain paramount.
Though letters of consent gleaned from First Nations and municipalities seem to indicate broad acceptance, the health of workers and residents as well as the ecosystem are heavy responsibilities for the province and municipality.
The People’s Party of Canada seeks to protect air and water quality for all Canadians so while there are still concerns over pollution and increased cancer rates, it seems only reasonable to request that Noront present, as part of the public consultation requirement, evidence of comparable facilities operating in other cities without increased cancer rates or significant adverse health effects from pollution.
While we support private enterprise and the free market we must be mindful of lessons learned from bitter experience.
