New city council reaffirms interest in Canada Water Agency

One of the first actions of our 2022-2026 city council was to toast Sault Ste. Marie's bid to become the home of the new Canada Water Agency.

Councillors gave unanimous support Monday night to a resolution from Ward 5 Coun. Corey Gardi and Ward 2's Luke Dufour, confirming that the Sault is still the "superior" choice for the new agency, intended to work with provinces, territories, Indigenous communities, local authorities, scientists, and others to keep Canada's fresh water safe, clean, and well-managed.

"We're in the process of arranging for a couple of meetings with members of the federal government," Gardi said.

"The task force has really stepped up its work over the course of the last couple of weeks."

"It seems that the decision is imminent," Gardi said.

Here's the full text of the Gardi/Dufour resolution:

Reaffirming Sault Ste. Marie's interest to Canada Water Agency

Mover: Coun. C. Gardi
Seconded: Coun. L. Dufour

Whereas the Government of Canada announced in 2020 the establishment of the Canada Water Agency to help Canada better govern, research, preserve, and manage our most precious resource, our fresh water; and

Whereas, the City of Sault Ste. Marie is located at the hub of the Great Lakes, on the St. Mary’s River, which connects Lakes Huron and Superior; and

Whereas the Great Lakes have played a major role in the history of our city and to the Indigenous people who have called our area home for millennia; and

Whereas Sault Ste. Marie has a proven track record of providing world-class research, managing our shared waters through a bi-national approach, and scientific expertise of the Great Lakes through networks in which our post-secondary institutions collaborate; and

Whereas in September of 2020, the city council of Sault Ste. Marie, by way of the mayor's office, communicated to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, then Minister of the Environment Jonathan Wilkinson and Member of Parliament Terry Sheehan our community’s interest in establishing the new Canada Water Agency in Sault Ste. Marie. Along with the unique aspects of our community and surrounding area which would make Sault Ste. Marie an ideal location for the agency; and

Whereas the Sault Ste. Marie Canada Water Agency task force has facilitated several broad and inclusive community outreach sessions, gathering input from residents across our region, along with garnering the support of many communities and organizations locally, regionally and internationally; and

Whereas, the federal government has announced that in the near term, they will be deciding the location(s) of the agency

Now therefore be resolved that Mayor Shoemaker be requested to pen a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minster of the Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault, and MP Terry Sheehan reaffirming Sault Ste. Marie’s current city council support of the establishment of the Canada Water Agency and the unique qualities which make Sault Ste. Marie a superior home for the agency.