http://www.saultstar.com/2017/07/19/romano-pressing-for-mid-august-ring-of-fire-tour

Map showing the Ring Of Fire area west of James Bay. Photo Credit: Mushkegowuk.com

Sault MPP Ross Romano says he's hoping to schedule a tour of the Ring of Fire area and its nearby five Indigenous communities later this summer.

“There's a few challenges that we're addressing now,” Romano said during a Northern Ontario media conference call led by PC leader Patrick Brown.

Romano, elected in a provincial byelection just more than a month ago, has been named Northern Ontario's critic of jobs and the Ring of Fire.

He said that since starting his role about 40 days ago, he's met with executives from NorOnt on three occasions and has established a good line of communications with them.

“I'm running a lot of laps on this one,” he told The Sault Star. “There is an issue that needs to be resolved and I am trying to assist the Economic Development Corp., who is lead on this one, for their bid submission to NorOnt.”

Brown said if the PC's form the next provincial government, he vows to build the Ring of Fire transportation corridor and dedicate the funds needed to do so in order to create opportunities in the North.

Premier Kathleen Wynne has said that the money committed in earlier budgets for the road infrastructure is still available and dedicated to the project but she wants to ensure that proper consultation is completed with the Indigenous communities in the rural north.

While NorOnt has yet to release official bid documents to the four communities who want the plant – the Sault, Timmins, Sudbury and Thunder Bay – they are expected to be released soon.

The Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corp. is doing its due diligence and gathering information that will be used in their bid package.

Sault Ste. Marie has the potential makings for a ferrochrome facility with land zoned for heavy industrial use and close to transportation networks. It also has the skilled workforce available to fill the needed jobs.

One of the challenges already identified concerns the land where the ferrochrome facility could potentially be located and the impact of any decisions while Algoma remains in protection under the Companies Creditors' Arrangement Act process.

Tom Dodds, CEO of the EDC said there have been discussions with those interested in Algoma to determine their views on a ferrochrome facility and that information will be conveyed in the city's bid submission.

“We haven't had any negativity to entertaining NorOnt being located there,” Dodds said. “The challenge is that this plant is still about five years out and the specific footprint and technical details are not yet available.”

Romano, who views the facility as an important job creator and economic booster for Sault Ste. Marie has been doing his own lobbying for the plant.

Dodds said this is the first economic issue that Romano and the EDC have worked on together since his recent election and the key is to ensure that the community support is there.

A ferrochrome facility prepares and transforms the chromite ore deposits to ferrochrome, the product used to create stainless steel products.

Ferrochrome is created with iron, chrome and oxygen. The high-grade chromite ore extracted from the Ring of Fire area is grinded and put through a processing plant that requires high levels of energy to melt the ore and add carbon to separate the oxygen from the iron and chrome. The completed iron and chrome products is called ferrochrome.

Romano said he has two goals he hopes to achieve during a visit to the Ring of Fire area.

“As an MPP I need to see it with my own eyes to get a full appreciation of the challenges we face to develop the road and how to properly address the relationship with our Indigenous partners and their rights,” he said.

Romano said that it's important that the relationship with the five Indigenous communities be developed and their social issues addressed.

“We tend to stumble on the 'thing' which is the road versus the relationship which are the major social issues that need to be addressed in that region,” he said.

Romano said he intends to explore the social issues on his tour and develop a meaningful private members bill to present in the fall.

He also wants to develop a regional communication strategy that will help educate the community on the great significance of the Ring of Fire and better understand the benefits and challenges of having a ferrochrome facility in Sault Ste. Marie.

“As a community I want us to stand up and say 'we want you' and my goal is to unite as a community and show (NorOnt) how much this community wants this facility built here,” he said.