This article came from Northern Life, Sudbury’s biweekly newspaper.
City staffer played key role in Cliffs decision
Just call him the man who saved Cliffs. Paul Reid, a business development officer with the City of Greater Sudbury, was credited May 15 with playing a key role in convincing Cliffs Natural Resources to build its ferrochrome smelter in Sudbury.
Ward 7 Coun. Dave Kilgour, whose ward includes Capreol, said Cliffs came to Sudbury in January or February 2010 to look at another site in the region. “They were on a search across the province for a suitable site, and one of the areas they wanted to look at was in Sudbury,” Kilgour said, following the May 15 city council meeting.
So, Reid and other city staff went with them to tour the site, but Cliffs was disappointed. There wasn’t enough land for the project, and it was too close to residential areas.
“They came in and took a look at it, and for a few reasons, found it wasn’t suitable,” Kilgour, who declined to name the original location, said. “And they asked Paul Reid, since they were here already, whether or not there were any other areas they could take a look at, and he suggested an old mine site north of Capreol.
“I guess (Cliffs) tried to describe what they wanted. They wanted a brownfield, they wanted it near rail, they needed hydro and they needed it to be away from built-up areas.”
Within a few hours, they had booked a helicopter and were on their way to take a look at the former Moose Mountain Mine site, located 21 kilometres north of Capreol.
“Cliffs saw the site and were pleased with what they saw. It really fit their needs,” Kilgour said.
Reid hadn’t prepared a Plan B, but he knew the area and region well enough that he was able to come up with the Capreol site off the top of his head.
“I think that shows the importance of having staff with a corporate memory,” Kilgour said. “Somebody new probably wouldn’t have been able to do that.”
Cliffs was so impressed with Capreol, they made the site their preferred option against all other locations on their radar. Other sites considered in Ontario were in Timmins, Thunder Bay and Greenstone, the municipality closest to the Ring of Fire development in northwestern Ontario.
And in the biggest boost to Sudbury’s economy in decades, Cliffs announced last week they intend to build the smelter at the Capreol site, assuming the project receives all necessary environmental approvals and the company can work out agreements with First Nations in the area.
The smelter will process chromite shipped from the Ring of Fire. Chromite is a key ingredient in the production of stainless steel.