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New campaign hopes to change the tone on discussions about local steel industry

The Chamber of Commerce hopes to send a strong message of support for the local steel industry through it's new WE ARE THE SOO website
20161021 We Are The Soo Launch COC Mayor Christian Provenzano Rory Ring KA
Mayor Christian Provenzano posts to the 'wall' of support on the WE ARE THE SOO website, an initiative launched today by the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday

The local chamber of commerce wants to fight negative attitudes by asking Saultites to share their positive stories about the city and local steel industry.

Today, the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce launched their WE ARE THE SOO campaign, consisting of a web site aimed at locals to share their ‘stories of why Sault Ste. Marie is a good place to live, work, play and invest’.

Rory Ring, executive director of the chamber, said intended audience of the web site is the very same people they are asking to contribute.

“It’s aimed at the person walking down the street, it’s aimed at our business community, it’s aimed at those who work within the industry,” said Ring at today’s launch.

Users of the web site can post their name and a story to virtual ‘wall’ of support.

The hope is to focus that positive energy toward securing the ongoing sustainability of the local steel industry.

“This is what the community, our stakeholders and our members told us they would like us to be doing. They want to see more positivity within the city and in the community and amongst the individuals who live within it,” said chamber president Paul Johnson.

Ring said comments on the site will be moderated.

“Certainly for attitudes that are cancerous, because that is not what this is meant to achieve. The glass is half full. Yeah, we are challenged and the business community is challenged but the glass is half full,” said Ring.

The campaign will not be advertised in the traditional sense, said Ring, instead relying on the public and chamber members to get the word out — hoping to create a ‘snowball effect’ of support for the local steel industry.

“Because, to be honest, we only have a limited budget so we can only do what we can do with the limited budget we have,” said Ring.

In his comments during the event, Mayor Christian Provenzano recognized the initiative as a positive one.

”We have to be much more clear about the great things our community offers, because it is an exceptional place to grow up, it’s an exceptional place to live and an exceptional place to work,” said Provenzano.

For now, the web site will focus on the local steel industry, but Johnson said the scope of the campaign could be broadened in the future.

“We at the chamber believe that diversification is needed, but we are also very aware the steel industry is important now. It will be important in our future and if we have one we are better off than if we don’t,” said Johnson.

The intent of the web site and its positive messaging, said Johnson, is not to take away from the challenges faced by the community.

“It is to say, let’s have a different perspective on this,” he said.

Ring said the 700-plus chamber members have so far faced recent challenges within the local economy with a positive attitude.

“Quite frankly, we haven’t heard a great deal from our membership that they are in crisis because of the account receivable that are hanging out there. They know they have to deal with it,” said Ring.


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Kenneth Armstrong

About the Author: Kenneth Armstrong

Kenneth Armstrong is a news reporter and photojournalist who regularly covers municipal government, business and politics and photographs events, sports and features.
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