Community feedback helps shape Sault Ste. Marie's water agency bid

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.

"In speaking with our community, it's clear that an emphasis on community collaboration is also extremely important," said Elaine Ho-Tassone, Lake Huron North Program coordinator and a member of the task force.

"We can offer so much to the country in terms of understanding how to collaborate together, both Canadians and Indigenous peoples, newcomers to the area, we have industry, we have all these government resources."

Ho-Tassone said the government's parameters highlighted the importance of Indigenous leadership as a component of the proposal process for municipalities.

"Being able to not only collaborate, but to elevate their leadership and partnership with this project, that was something that the community said was crucial," she added.

Creating jobs and how the Canada Water Agency would complement existing infrastructure was also discussed by those participating in consultations.

"We have a lot of that freshwater education and research infrastructure here already with our local research centres," said Kathleen Heymans, of the City of Sault Ste. Marie.

"There's so much potential for what a Canada Water Agency can bring to Sault Ste. Marie and what the city can give to a water agency."

The task force has a list of recommendations it can now use to create its official proposal to the federal government, but is still awaiting word on when it can submit.

While public consultations have wrapped up, the city is still encouraging more feedback for those who wish to share.