North Bay supports Timmins bid for Ferrochrome facility

The City of North Bay has gotten behind the Timmins bid to be the successful site of the Noront Ferrochrome processing facility.

Their city council passed a resolution to that effect Tuesday night.

The motion was moved by councillor George Maroosis.

He says having the facility in TimmIns would benefit Ontario Northland.

“If there’s a smelter in Timmins and Timmins is connected to North Bay by rail and that rail is the ONTC.”

Timmins is up against Sudbury, Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie.

North Bay did not submit a bid. City officials say they weren’t asked too.

Councillor Mark King supported the motion but he thinks it’s going west near Sudbury at Capreol.

“Strictly because of the availability of the transportation and the other big item is energy and they need electricity and natural gas close at hand to make that work.”

He says North Bay was never a serious candidate.

“We’re 100 miles east of the process. No one could ever make a proposal that would make sense to these people because of our position. We’re geographically not in the right spot. It’s as simple as that.”