City issues one building permit for new construction in January

January is traditionally the slowest month for issuing building permits in Sault Ste. Marie.

The past month was no exception.

One building permit was issued for new construction in all sectors.

Fortunately it's a big one: for $4.4 million worth of work on a water treatment plant for the new electric arc furnaces (EAFs) at Algoma Steel.

The new plant will conserve water usage by recycling non-contact water from the steel making processes.

Algoma Steel also got a $1-million permit for two quench-tower walkways and two prefabricated pump rooms.

The final bill for Algoma's game-changing switch to EAFs is expected to total as much as $878 million – the most expensive construction job in Sault Ste. Marie history.

The 39 building permits issued by the city in January were valued at a total of $7.36 million: including $5.67 million industrial, $715,170 institutional and governmental, $571,230 commercial and $411,105 residential.

During the same month last year, Sault Ste. Marie issued 41 building permits valued at $1.1 million.

Some other permits of interest issued in January, 2024:

• $685,170 in interior renovations for the cardiac catheterization lab on the third floor of Sault Area Hospital, 750 Great Northern Rd.
• $250,000 for a two-suite residential fit-out on the second floor of 631 Queen St. East (Laura Szczepaniak Chartered Accountant building)
• $150,000 to combine three existing suites at 570 Dundas St. into one suite for a pre-fab shop
• $120,000 for a first-floor tenant fit-out for a new Cafe for Good restaurant on the first floor of 326 Queen St. E.
• $25,000 for ongoing renovations to the lobby at the Ronald A. Irwin Civic Centre, 99 Foster Dr.
• $15,000 to build four new timber booths at Soo Market, 73 Brock St.
• $5,000 to replace front door with main door and garage door at 122 Pittsburgh Ave., former home of St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church