CF Industries proposes urea liquor upgrade near Sarnia; decision due 2027
CF Industries is advancing plans to enlarge production at its manufacturing complex south of Sarnia, the company disclosed in a recent corporate release.
The firm has signed an agreement for an engineering and design study to explore construction of a new urea liquor upgrade plant at its Courtright site in St. Clair Township. If approved, the project would add more than 400,000 tonnes per year of capacity. Company materials say a final capital decision on the proposal is expected in 2027.
The Courtright property occupies about 283 hectares (700 acres) and currently has the capacity to produce up to one million tonnes annually of nitrogen products used in agriculture and industry, including ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate.
“The project would see a rather significant increase in capacity,” said Matthew Slotwinski, CEO of the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership. “This is a positive potential development for the community.”
Local implications and product use
The proposed urea liquor upgrade plant would expand output of a feedstock used in emissions-reducing diesel exhaust fluid, according to CF Industries' information on product lines. That connection places the project at the intersection of agricultural supply chains and industrial emissions-control markets.
For Sarnia and Lambton County — a region long defined by heavy industry and petrochemical manufacturing — the proposal is likely to prompt local and provincial scrutiny around jobs, environmental controls and infrastructure needs. The Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership has already signalled support and said it will work with CF Industries if the project moves forward.
Numbers at a glance
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Site area | 283 hectares (700 acres) |
| Current maximum capacity | Up to 1,000,000 tonnes annually (nitrogen products) |
| Potential added capacity | More than 400,000 tonnes annually |
| Decision on capital | Expected 2027 |
What residents and local stakeholders should watch for
- Environmental assessment requirements or permits tied to increased production, including air emissions and effluent controls.
- Employment impacts — whether the plant expansion would create construction and ongoing operational jobs in Sarnia-Lambton.
- Transport and infrastructure needs, including road, rail or pipeline throughput to handle higher volumes of feedstock and finished products.
Local economic-development officials have framed the plan as a potentially positive development. The Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership, which is funded by Lambton County, said it is prepared to support CF Industries in the project and help shepherd local engagement around any approval process.
CF Industries' Courtright site sits amid a cluster of nitrogen and petrochemical facilities that together form a substantial portion of southwestern Ontario's industrial base. Any expansion there could ripple through regional supply chains — from fertilizer distribution to industrial chemical feedstocks — and would be measured against community expectations for safety and environmental stewardship.
With the engineering and design study now under way, detailed project specifications, timelines and potential community benefits or impacts should become clearer as CF Industries completes the study and approaches the 2027 capital decision point.
Further updates will depend on company disclosures and any regulatory filings related to approvals, environmental assessment and public consultation processes in the months ahead.
