Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre - SSMIC

08/29/2026

Join the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre for a free, one-hour virtual panel on Thursday, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟮:𝟬𝟬 𝗽.𝗺. 𝗘𝗗𝗧.

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸:
• How data centres vary in size, purpose, energy use, cooling needs, land requirements, and community impact
• Why grid capacity, water, workforce, and local infrastructure shape where they can succeed
• The benefits, trade-offs, and practical considerations worth understanding
• How this connects to AI, digital sovereignty, economic development, and Northern Ontario's future

Moderated by Sandra Moore, GCB.D (Executive Director, SSMIC), with Taylor Trecroce (SSMIC), Daniel Featherstone (Fresh Water Research / Lake Huron North, SSMIC), and David Pickup (Director of Electricity, Pembina Institute). Additional panelists to be announced.

This is a balanced, informational session, not advocacy for or against any specific project. Submit a question when you register, or ask one live in the chat.

Free and open to all. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/data-centres-in-northern-ontario-panel-tickets-1999120566429

Visual for this post created by a human at SSMIC using Claude AI.

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08/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out to Patio Pints yesterday at Whisky Rocks on St. Joseph Island.

It was great seeing so many local business owners connect and seeing so many new faces!

We hope you left with a new connection or two. Hope to see you all at our next events!

08/26/2026

Few topics have generated as much conversation in The City of Sault Ste. Marie this year as data centres.

In a letter published this week in SooToday, our Executive Director Sandra Moore, GCB.D makes the case for something that's been in short supply: nuance.

Not cheerleading. Not opposition. More conversations grounded in evidence that takes energy use, water, noise, land use, and community impact as seriously as it takes economic opportunity and technology sector growth, and that gives residents and decision-makers across the Algoma region the facts they need to make nuanced and informed decisions about the challenges and opportunities from developments like data centres.

Then join the conversation. At the bottom of her letter to the editor is a sign up form for the webinar SSMIC is hosting with subject matter experts (likely on Sept 3) discussing energy demand, water use, community impact, and economic considerations. Share your questions in that form for our subject matter experts to respond to in that webinar.

08/26/2026

Few topics have generated as much conversation in Sault Ste. Marie this year as data centres.

In a letter published this week in SooToday, our Executive Director Sandra Moore, GCB.D makes the case for something that's been in short supply: nuance.

Not cheerleading. Not opposition. More conversations grounded in evidence that takes energy use, water, noise, land use, and community impact as seriously as it takes economic opportunity and technology sector growth, and that gives residents and decision-makers across the Algoma region the facts they need to make nuanced and informed decisions about the challenges and opportunities from developments like data centres.

Read Sandra's letter: https://www.sootoday.com/letters-to-the-editor/letter-the-sault-needs-a-more-nuanced-conversation-on-data-centres-12703711

Then join the conversation. At the bottom of her letter to the editor is a sign up form for the webinar SSMIC is hosting with subject matter experts (likely on Sept 3) discussing energy demand, water use, community impact, and economic considerations. Share your questions in that form for our subject matter experts to respond to in that webinar.

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Data centres consume electricity, use water, generate noise, and create environmental impacts that must be carefully managed, a reader said

08/26/2026

Few topics have generated as much conversation in Sault Ste. Marie this year as data centres.

In a letter published this week in SooToday, our Executive Director Sandra Moore, GCB.D makes the case for something that's been in short supply: nuance.

Not cheerleading. Not opposition. More conversations grounded in evidence that takes energy use, water, noise, land use, and community impact as seriously as it takes economic opportunity and technology sector growth, and that gives residents and decision-makers across the Algoma region the facts they need to make nuanced and informed decisions about the challenges and opportunities from developments like data centres.

Read Sandra's letter: https://www.sootoday.com/letters-to-the-editor/letter-the-sault-needs-a-more-nuanced-conversation-on-data-centres-12703711

Then join the conversation. At the bottom of her letter to the editor is a sign up form for the webinar SSMIC is hosting with subject matter experts (likely on Sept 3) discussing energy demand, water use, community impact, and economic considerations. Share your questions in that form for our subject matter experts to respond to in that webinar.

Data centres consume electricity, use water, generate noise, and create environmental impacts that must be carefully managed, a reader said

08/21/2026

Starting a business in Northern Ontario is hard, and not in the ways people usually mean.

Smaller markets. Longer distances. Fewer people to hire from. Less room for a bad month.

Entrepreneurs across Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma Manitoulin do it anyway. Today's World Entrepreneurs' Day, so we're pointing at them, and at the folks who help them do it: Millworks - Centre for Entrepreneurship, Community Development Corporation of Sault Ste. Marie & Area, Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, Northern Ontario Angels

Growing or scaling right now? Reach out. If we can't help directly, we'll find you someone who can.

Who's the entrepreneur in your life doing it the hard way? Tag them below.

08/06/2026

The Innovation Awards are back, and nominations are open.

SSMIC wants to highlight the people and companies changing how things get done across Algoma-Manitoulin and celebrate them by bringing back an Award ceremony to showcase these projects.

There will be 2 categories this year:
Top 10 Innovators, individuals driving change across the region
Top 3 Innovative Companies, organizations redefining industry and growing our local economy

Eligible if you've led a new idea, process, or way of thinking. New technology, a smarter process, a creative fix for an old problem, it all counts.

Join us for a celebratory lunch on November 6 at 11:30 AM at Delta Hotels by Marriott. Tickets will be available soon!

Know someone who deserves the spotlight? Nominate them here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2JB7HVN

Save this so you don't lose the date, and tag someone who belongs on that stage!

08/05/2026

Patio Pints is BACK to St Joe.
Grab a drink at Whisky Rocks and meet other business owners who are helping build Algoma's future.
Thursday, August 27, 5 to 7 pm. Completely free to attend.
Register Now: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/st-joe-patio-pints-tickets-1994021048634?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/05/2026

We’re hiring!

SSMIC is currently seeking a Business Research Analyst Intern and a Marketing & Communications Research Intern to join our team.

View the opportunities and application details:
https://www.ssmic.com/careers

07/30/2026

Data centres are getting a lot of attention right now, and most of the conversation is focused on the risks. Let's talk about the upside too.
AI infrastructure is quickly becoming as fundamental to our economy as roads and power grids. Done right, data centres mean digital sovereignty (keeping Canadian data and Canadian innovation on Canadian soil), new career pathways in construction, skilled trades, and tech operations, and long-term investment in Northern Ontario's economy, not just server racks.
The "done right" part matters. That means projects built with waste heat recovery (imagine a data centre helping heat nearby buildings), demand response, and clean energy partnerships from day one, not added on after the fact.
A new report from MaRS Discovery District and Mantle Climate, "Sharing the Load" (March 2026), backs this up: with coordinated planning, tools like clean power agreements, waste heat reuse, and demand response can significantly cut the energy and emissions impact of data centre growth in Ontario. We've attached it below for anyone who wants to dig into the details.
The question isn't should we host data centres — it's how do we do it right. Full report below 👇

A new report from MaRS and Mantle Climate explores the various factors that could determine whether AI infrastructure growth could strengthen or strain the province’s energy systems and communities.