CitySSMA request for an agreement extension was approved by City Council on Monday night.  The Port Of Algoma got the extension with consultant KPMG/AECOM after a presentation from CEO Anshumali Dwivedi.  He talked about what has been happening with the project, with Phase 1 nearly complete.  Dwivedi also talked about the environmental benefits of the project and that negotiations with First Nation stakeholders have been very good.  When asked if the physical characteristics of the project would change, Dwivedi answered that things will remain the same and that the entire Port Of Algoma should be completed by December 2016.  He mentioned that things ‘got a little stretched’ after the vote.  Funding for implementation has been delayed, but an application for money from the New Canada Fund is being worked on right now — and calls have been described as ‘very encouraging’.  Ward 1 councillor Steve Butland brought up concerns over Essar Steel and its current financial situation.  He feels the port should still be supported because Essar and the Port are seperate yet complementary entities.

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City Council accepted a request for 100 thousand dollars from the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre on Monday night.  Centre Executive Director Mike Delfre talked about why the money from the city’s Economic Diversification Fund was necessary.  He emphasized that while the facility is experiencing unprecendented growth in the number of events it hosts, the centre is showing signs of wear and tear.  The funding would specifically go towards renovations that would result in a new entrance, updated washrooms and an enhanced retail area.  Mayor Christian Provenzano expressed concern about the lack of confidence in some of Delfre’s speech, on the subject of whether or not the centre is sustainable financially.  But the mayor was assured by Doctor Ron Common that the centre is always and will be sustainable, and work will continue to make sure that is still the case.  Some of the discussion prior to council’s approval turned to ideas on how to enhance the centre’s profile as a cultural hub.  Centre Executive Director Mike Delfre suggested a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for Forestry and Aviation — a first of its kind for the north.  The idea would be a partnership of the Great Lakes Forestry Centre, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Forestry Research Institute.  Ideas like this would be aimed at narrowing an Arts and Culture funding gap between the Sault and Sudbury — a difference of about 9 million dollars.  Some councillors also expressed skepticism before decide to approve the request.  Councillors Paul Christian and Rick Niro asked about staff came up with the number needed to make those changes happen.  EDC Chief Executive Officer Tom Dodds answered that a number of reports would be done for council to answer that question.  Christian also asked about a Civil Aviation Award Ceremony at the centre in the future.  Centre Executive Director Mike Delfre responded that the medal was named after Roy Maxwell, ‘the most unknown Canadian aviation pioneer there is’.  The Maxwell Medal of Achievement would become an annual fundraiser for the centre, which has been experiencing unprecendented growth through the number of events it currently hosts.