Sault Ste. Marie is receiving some attention in the provincial budget released today.
HM Robbins Public Elementary School is getting an addition with 26 new student spaces and 64 more licensed child-care spaces.
This is part of the $30 billion the province is spending over the next 10 years, including $23 billion in capital grants to help build new schools and child-care centres.
The province is also committing nearly $2 billion for the 2025-26 school year to repair and maintain schools.
New Critical Minerals Processing Fund
The province is also providing more funding for mining. It’s putting in $500 million to start a new Critical Minerals Processing Fund, which aims to support the capacity of critical minerals projects by contributing a steady supply of critical minerals in the province.
By doing this, the government believes it will improve the province’s standing as a leader in critical minerals, which will make it more attractive for investment. The funding is supposed to create new opportunities for workers in Sault Ste. Marie.
Training for workers fund and new northern Ontario training facility
With U.S. tariffs and policies threatening Ontario’s economy, the provincial government is pumping money into training in an effort to protect its workforce.
Through the Training and Capital stream of the Skills Development Fund the government has put in $1.5 billion, training more than 930,000 workers.
In the next three years, the province will add another $1 billion to this fund. It will also put in $150 million over the next three years starting 2025/2026 to support the SDF Capital stream.
There’s going to be a new training facility in northern Ontario for the International Brotherhood Boilermakers Local 128 to expand its training opportunities, although it’s unclear where it will be located.
The government is putting in more than $5.2 million for the construction of the new facility.