THUNDER BAY — The head of Thunder Bay’s Community Economic Development Commission says if a proposed lithium conversion plant is built in the city, it would be a major boost to the local industrial base.
“What this opportunity brings is new industry to the city, a new tax base that also will bring a whole new supply chain around the processing facility,” said Jamie Taylor, the commission’s CEO.
“Honestly it's going to be a generational project once it's complete.”
On Tuesday, the federal government announced up to $120 million in conditional funding at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention for the refinery project being proposed by Frontier Lithium.
The province also announced it is considering its own $120 million contribution, subject to further negotiations.
The facility would be built on the site of the former Ontario Power Generation plant on Mission Island.
Federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said on Tuesday that the plant would “support demand for electric vehicle battery metals, advancing both Ontario's EV framework and critical mineral strategy.”
The project “does put Thunder Bay on the map,” as part of those initiatives, Taylor said on Friday.
“I think what we've been trying to do is position Thunder Bay as the hub for mining in Northwestern Ontario,” she said.
“We have a robust supply chain of over 400 businesses that are involved in that, and this just strengthens it.”
In addition to the roughly 200 jobs such a plant would create, Taylor said it would also provide a number of spinoff benefits as well; she added that the CEDC has a good relationship with the company and is committed to doing their part to help the project become a reality.
“I'm really happy that this has all come together and we plan to support them with all of their business needs,” she said.
Frontier is one of four firms eyeing the development of lithium deposits in the region. Of those four, three are looking at Thunder Bay and the fourth is proposing their plant be built in Red Rock.
-With files from Gary Rinne