Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
A Sault Ste. Marie task force is releasing the findings of its community consultations that will help shape its bid to become the future home of the Canada Water Agency. Creation of the new federal agency was announced in 2020, with officials saying its goal is to help improve freshwater management in Canada. In Sault Ste. Marie, an official bid to host the agency was launched last year, with the Sault's central location to the Great Lakes as a big selling point.
Sault Ste. Marie wants to be the home for a new federal government agency that could create at least 100 full-time jobs in the community. The city is making the case that it would be the ideal location for the new Canada Water Agency, which would improve freshwater management across the country. Kathleen Heymans, the city's business development manager, said the agency would expand on existing expertise built around freshwater management in Sault Ste. Marie.
Some believe Sault Ste. Marie is the perfect location for the headquarters of the soon-to-be-created Canada Water Agency and a city task force is preparing to make its final pitch for the project. The federal government announced during its previous mandate that it wanted to create the agency intended to improve freshwater management across Canada. That promise was solidified in the government’s most recent Speech from the Throne. The city of Sault Ste. Marie put together a task force to explore the possibility of bringing that new agency to the city.
It’s the last chance to have your say and provide input on why Sault Ste. Marie should be the host of Canada’s Water Agency Initiative. The federal government announced earlier this year that it wants to establish a Canada Water Agency to improve freshwater management across the country. Ward 5 Coun. Corey Gardi has spearheaded the initiative for Sault Ste. Marie to host the future agency. Stakeholders called to the table include various organizations, Indigenous persons, youth and the community at large. The comments, ideas and concerns for clean-water issues will be incorporated in the city’s pitch to bring the Canada Water Agency to the Sault.
