Powering Northern Growth
Exploring Small Modular Nuclear Power for Greater Sudbury and Northern Ontario
Greater Sudbury is one of Northern Ontario's most important industrial and service hubs. If we want to grow our economy and attract new investment, we need to think seriously about how we will power that growth.
Instead of only asking how to attract investment, we should also ask whether we are prepared to support it — including with reliable, affordable electricity.
Why Not Sudbury?
Greater Sudbury’s mining and industrial base, technical expertise and existing infrastructure make it a logical place to explore whether additional electricity generation capacity could make sense for Northern Ontario.
- Taking Greater Control of Northern Ontario's Future
Northern Ontario has the minerals. We have the resource industries. We have the people and skills. The question is whether we will also have the energy infrastructure needed to support the next generation of jobs and investment.
A Northern Energy Hub
Should Northern Ontario have additional major electricity generation capacity located closer to where that power will be used — including in Greater Sudbury?
A Partnership — Not a Blank Cheque
This is not a proposal for Greater Sudbury taxpayers to write a blank cheque. It is a proposal to investigate whether a partnership with other levels of government and the private sector could make sense — and only proceed if the numbers and safeguards are right.
What I Would Ask the City to Do
The City's role is to investigate the opportunity, not to build or operate a nuclear facility. I would ask City staff to work with provincial and federal partners, Indigenous communities, industry and experts to examine whether a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) or similar technology could be appropriate for our region.
Build the Business Case First
- Current and projected Greater Sudbury industrial electricity demand;
- Mine electrification and future mineral-processing needs;
- Opportunities for data centres and other electricity-intensive industries;
- Northern Ontario transmission capacity and constraints;
- Regional electricity resilience;
- Possible sites and infrastructure requirements;
- Regulatory, environmental and public-safety requirements;
- Indigenous participation and potential equity partnerships;
- Realistic capital and operating costs;
- Ownership and financing models;
- Projected electricity costs; and
- Potential employment, investment and municipal revenue impacts.
• Mine electrification and future mineral-processing needs;
• Opportunities for data centres and other electricity-intensive industries;
• Northern Ontario transmission capacity and constraints;
• Regional electricity resilience;
• Possible sites and infrastructure requirements;
• Regulatory, environmental and public-safety requirements;
• Indigenous participation and potential equity partnerships;
• Realistic capital and operating costs;
• Ownership and financing models;
• Projected electricity costs; and
• Potential employment, investment and municipal revenue impacts.
Measure the opportunity. Understand the costs. Bring the results back to residents and Council before any major decisions are made.
Why not generate more of that power here?
Why not generate more of that power here?