Nanticoke industry and residents not sold on plan

Developer Empire Communities has purchased 17 parcels of industrial land surrounding Stelco’s Lake Erie Works and has proposed building 15,000 homes on the site. The area would also include a school and create up to 11,000 jobs. However, county residents and business owners are expressing mixed feelings about the plan.

Julie Kipp and her husband knew that there would be consequences when they bought their Nanticoke home across the road from Stelco’s Lake Erie Works five years ago.

“We chose to live here,” she said. “I find it’s been worse lately because there was sometimes where it almost smelled like plastic burning, and one time it was really bad and I had to go inside.”

Kipp and her husband have some concerns with Empire Communities’ proposed development, as their property now borders one of the purchased properties.

The county didn’t contact neighbouring industries, and county chief administrative officer Craig Manley has apologized directly to Stelco for the oversight. However, the steel company has come out strongly against a provincial rezoning of the lands for residential use, going as far as saying that this change could imperil the future of the Lake Erie Works.

Ontario Power Generation was also unaware of the purchase or of the county’s intentions, but said their site may be considered for future hydrogen production.

Grand Disposal owner Ian Fletcher said he learned of the purchases, including next to his Nanticoke compost facility, through a county notice Jan. 5 for public consultation. He later learned of the plan to change designation and a proposed water and wastewater system through an article in The Sachem.