Sault Ste. Marie council backs Algoma-Roshel defence partnership

Sault Ste. Marie city council has passed a resolution urging the Canadian federal government to prioritize the Algoma Steel and Roshel Defence Solutions partnership for upcoming defence procurement contracts. The partnership, known as Roshel Algoma Defence Solutions (RADS), aims to establish a Canadian Centre of Excellence for Ballistic Steel Production and develop a domestic supply chain for defence-grade materials.

Mayor Matthew Shoemaker noted that Algoma Steel has a long history of supplying the defence sector, including armoured plate to the United States. While the Algoma-Hanwha Ocean partnership was not selected for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems is in discussions with Algoma Steel regarding steel supply for that project. The council's motion seeks to maximize Canadian content, domestic manufacturing capacity, and sovereign industrial capability in federal procurement processes.