Cathy Dobson/The Independent

Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Electrification said he came to Sarnia-Lambton Tuesday to gauge opinion on a potential new power facility at the former Lambton Generating Station.

Stephen Lecce said if the project moves ahead, the local community has final say on what kind of power plant is built but he spoke at length about nuclear energy and said the Ford government is “leaning in” to nuclear power and believes it is “fundamental” to Ontario’s future.

The province is already building Ontario’s first small modular reactor at the Darlington Nuclear station and refurbishing the Bruce and Pickering nuclear power plants.

If not nuclear, LGS could also be an ideal site for other reliable and affordable forms of power generation including natural gas, hydrogen or battery storage, said Lecce.

“Whether it’s nuclear, hydrogen, battery…the community is in the driver’s seat,” he said. The provincial government won’t “impose” a new power project, Lecce stressed.

“I’m here today to make the case to the community that it’s a win/win,” he said at a breakfast event sponsored by the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce and attended by about 130 local business leaders and politicians.

The province is eyeing one of three locations for a new power facility, either near Port Hope, in Haldimand Norfolk County or at the former LGS site in St. Clair Township.

Lecce said he was “putting it on the table” for local municipal councils and First Nations to make their support known in the next few weeks.

“I look forward to meeting with mayors in the coming days and weeks to build momentum for a project that is good for the community and desired by the community. That’s first and foremost,” Lecce said, noting that he was pleased to learn St. Clair Mayor Jeff Agar has already thrown his support behind new energy production at the LGS site.

He said the Ontario government is committed to building new energy generation to ensure power demands can be met in the decades ahead. The Independent Electricity System estimates Ontario’s power demand will increase 75 per cent by 2050 and the province plans to be ready to meet those demands with reliable and affordable energy, Lecce said.

The province has promised $50 million to help fund infrastructure improvements to the municipality that agrees to a new power plant.

If the LGS site is chosen, thousands of “recession-proof” jobs will be created, said Lecce. “There’s great potential to build on the industrial strengths of this community.”

The coal-fired LGS plant closed in 2013 and was demolished despite several attempts to convince the province to retool the plant for natural gas or biomass generation.

At Tuesday’s event, Lambton County Warden Kevin Marriott enthusiastically endorsed a nuclear facility at the former LGS site.

“I’m excited. That site needs to have something there,” said Marriott. “The county needs that developed and (Lecce) made it very clear that nuclear is the way they are going.”

Marriott acknowledged that there is “always some opposition” to nuclear power plants and the waste that they generate.

“But I’m not afraid of the technology,” he said. “The newer nuclear is cleaner and safer.”

Marriott said he didn’t want to second guess what county council will do but that he “would be surprised” if the county’s politicians don’t support a resolution for a nuclear facility in St. Clair.

Local First Nations also have to be on board, Marriott added. “This won’t go anywhere without a willing host.

“The minister has to know that we want it.”

The Chamber’s breakfast event at the Four Seasons by Sheraton in Point Edward normally focuses on MPP Bob Bailey who introduced Lecce.

“Energy production is something we excel at here in Sarnia-Lambton,” said Bailey. “We fully expect our businesses and local labour force will have a major role in Ontario’s future energy plans.”