Three new natural gas plants are proposed for Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, with one of them located on the Great Northern snow dump. If approved, these plants will be operational by 2031, providing new electricity supply and storage capacity to ensure sufficient supply across Ontario into the 2030s and beyond. The project is proposed by Northern Ontario Capacity (NOC), a Canadian-based company, in response to a request from Ontario's Independent Electric System Operator (IESO).
The plants are planned for three local properties: two on Great Northern Road within the city limits and one on Fifth Line East. The NOC project is expected to create 20 construction jobs during the building phase and five ongoing jobs after that. However, the proposal has sparked controversy due to concerns about increased greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from the natural gas generation.
The plants are designed to support local grid reliability, but they would contribute to the city's overall emissions at a time when community-wide GHG levels have been increasing. The proponent has provided a preliminary estimate of under 9,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) over the lifespan of each facility, which will impact the greater community's GHG emissions. The plants are also expected to accommodate lower-carbon fuels such as renewable natural gas and hydrogen as supply chains evolve.
The NOC proposal will be made in response to a request from Ontario's Independent Electric System Operator (IESO) looking for new electricity supply and storage capacity to ensure sufficient supply across Ontario into the 2030s and beyond. IESO is expected to announce successful projects in Q2 of 2026. If NOC's application is successful, its natural gas assets are expected to be operational by 2031. It has secured the necessary properties through options to lease.
All three sites will also need city council approval of rezoning and official plan amendments. If city councillors provide a municipal support resolution on Monday, it won't bind city staff to recommend Planning Act approvals or bind the city council to approve any forthcoming applications. NOC has so far not disclosed its community engagement strategy and won't do that until it wins an IESO contract.
Some other energy project proposals recently received by the City of Sault Ste. Marie include Samsung's plan to develop a 12-acre industrial site, a $750-million development proposed behind Jack's Chicken & Fish, city support sought for local energy projects worth a billion dollars, and PUC's desire for large-scale solar projects to be built in the west end. Monday's city council meeting will be livestreamed on SooToday starting at 5 p.m.
