The mayor's plan to make you smart

Heads up, Sault Ste. Marie!

Mayor Christian Provenzano wants to smarten you up.

On his lunch hour today, he filed nomination papers today to seek re-election to make sure the job gets done.

"We have started the discussion about Sault Ste. Marie being a smart city. We've made a submission in that respect to the federal government to enter a competition," the mayor smarticulated to SooToday.

"That's one competition. I want to see us, independent of that competition, develop a smart city plan," Provenzano told us.

The mayor's smartification strategy involves using data and connected technology to retain our youth and prepare them to compete in the new digital economy.

"Within the municipal corporation, we're looking at our internal IT [information technology] capacities and how to improve those and develop a digital strategy for the municipality."

Provenzano was also heavily involved in developing the community adjustment committee's plan and he's anxious to see that fully implemented.

"We've put together a really engaging community roundtable and now we're putting together some supporting roundtables that will look at some initiatives that we can undertake in our community. I want to really see that through. That's a three-year project," the mayor said.

Provenzano cites our recent dealings with Noront Resources Ltd., attempting to attract a ferrochrome processing facility to the Sault, as a model for the future.

"I think Noront's a good example of how mayor, council, the city and the EDC [Economic Development Corp.] can work together to sell the Sault and I want to see more of that."

"I'd be looking forward to doing that for a few more years if I were re-elected."

"I need some more time to do that. If the community gives me that time, I will commit to work as hard over the next four years."

Also today, Ward 2 Councillor Susan Myers filed nomination papers, but not for the council seat she's occupied for the past dozen years.

Instead, Myers served notice that she'll run instead for the Ward 2 spot on Algoma District School Board.

Sandra Edwards, an incumbent trustee with Algoma District School Board, filed papers to run in the Ward 5 school board race.

Voting day to elect a mayor, municipal councillors and school board trustees is Monday, October 22, 2018.

The deadline for filing or withdrawing nomination papers is 2 p.m. on Friday, July 27.