How a 'simple structure' in Elliot Lake, Ont., is raising questions about buying Canadian

Jonathan Migneault · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 12, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

Plans to physique a caller shadiness operation astatine a waterfront parkland successful Elliot Lake, Ont., were made much analyzable by an ongoing commercialized warfare betwixt Canada and the United States.

After a lengthy statement connected Monday night, the city's assembly decided to spell with a plan from an American institution called Poligon for the $205,000 structure.

But it was not without immoderate pushback.

"I don't privation to get into the commercialized warfare stuff, but I cognize a batch of places are getting distant from going with this, buying worldly from the States," said Elliot Lake Coun. Rick Bull.

Coun. Helen Lefebvre responded that the enactment to physique the operation would beryllium sub-contracted to a institution called ABC Recreation, based successful Paris, Ont.

"They're from confederate Ontario. A tiny assemblage arsenic well," Lefebvre said.  "So we are supporting different tiny assemblage successful Ontario."

Like galore tiny municipalities successful Ontario, Elliot Lake uses a procurement strategy from the Canoe Procurement Group of Canada which acts arsenic a one-stop store for antithetic builds and contracts municipalities mightiness need.

Coun. Merrill Seidel wondered wherefore the metropolis didn't enactment guardant its ain petition for proposals connected the project.

"Part of the nationalist input was wherefore we did not consult with section contractors to look astatine specified a elemental structure," helium said.

A metropolis unit subordinate said that if Elliot Lake were to spell with its ain petition for proposals connected the task it would beryllium a much lengthy and costly process, and would necessitate a plan from an engineer. 

Elliot Lake nonmigratory Richard Montegani said it was shortsighted for the metropolis not to unfastened the doorway to section options portion Canada is successful a commercialized warfare with the U.S.

"I'm disappointed, you know, and I'm astir ashamed to beryllium a national of Elliot Lake, considering what they conscionable did," helium said.

"They're not reasoning astir being Canadian. "It's truly shameful."

Ultimately, Elliot Lake city assembly decided it would taxable a abstracted tender for a $100,000 factual pad needed to enactment the waterfront shadiness structure. That would spell retired to section suppliers.

Danny Whalen, the president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), said the "vast majority" of the 110 municipalities helium represents are reviewing their existent acquisition agreements to bargain Canadian arsenic overmuch arsenic possible.

But Whalen, who besides sits connected Temiskaming Shores council, added it's a hard process, particularly for smaller municipalities.

"Lots of the municipalities we correspond are 3,000 and nether population. So they don't truly person the resources and the unit resources to bash a elaborate reappraisal of each of their accounts," helium said.

The Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands, for example, passed a question earlier this period to bargain Canadian archetypal whenever possible.

On March 18, Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre is expected to supply an update connected the city's procurement process.

Two American companies — ASM Global and Global Spectrum Facility Management — person responded to a petition for proposals to negociate the city's new arena and lawsuit centre.