Ontario municipalities are facing salt shortages due to the frequent winter storms creating a higher-than-usual demand across the province.

This is despite Goderich, Ontario being home to the world’s largest salt mine. However, the owners of the mine, an American company called Compass Minerals, continue to export that mined salt to the United States.

In an emailed statement to CTV News, the company stated that they are “committed to serving all our valued customers in Ontario and all markets that we serve.” To the CBC, they commented that the entire supply chain is strained due to high demand. 

However, Dave Gerow, president of Triple J Contracting, which supplies bulk salt and de-icing material, disagrees. In a comment to CP24, he shared that he does not believe Ontario is dealing with a shortage in salt – suggesting that scarcity is not the reason for the shortage, but rather mismanagement of existing resources.

Premier Ford’s staff did not respond to CP24’s request for comment directly; instead, they forwarded the request to the Ministry of Transportation who only stated that their own supply was sufficient to service Ontario highways. 

Lanark County has already used more than 8000 tonnes of salt, with only 500 tonnes remaining in storage for the rest of the season. Brockville has resorted to mixing sand with its salt supplies, a measure adopted by other Ontario cities, including London and Pickering. Sand is a workable substitute, though it lacks the melting power of salt. With two months of winter to go, this supply shortage could seriously limit the ability of local governments to provide winter relief.