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Sault Ste. Marie hosting forest fire evacuees from northwestern Ontario

'Sault Ste. Marie, Algoma's Friendliest City' sign. (CTV Northern Ontario file) 'Sault Ste. Marie, Algoma's Friendliest City' sign. (CTV Northern Ontario file)
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Sault Ste. Marie -

Sault Ste. Marie is among municipalities in northern Ontario hosting evacuees from forest fires in the northwest.

The city is hosting around 100 people from North Spirit Lake First Nation, located more than 900 kilometres northwest of the Sault.

Forest fires continue to rage across northern Ontario, prompting a number of communities to evacuate. The evacuees from North Spirit Lake will be housed at the Water Tower Inn.

Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Christian Provenzano said Wednesday a number of community partners are involved.

"I want to thank all of the healthcare and primary care providers, social services, I want to thank all of the First Nations partners that are working with us on this, I want to recognize the Water Tower Inn," said Provenzano.

"This is really, truly a team effort. A lot of people doing a lot of heavy lifting, and I need to recognize the really great work that's being done by the CAO and city staff that are involved in this."

City CAO Malcolm White said the request to host evacuees came from the provincial government last Friday. White said city staff and community partners, including Algoma Public Health, Sault Area Hospital and the Red Cross, worked through the weekend on a plan to host the evacuees.

"Everybody has been very quick to respond and assist us with whatever they can provide," said White, adding local Indigenous agencies -- as well as officials from Batchewana and Garden River First Nations -- have been part of the effort to host evacuees.

With regard to the ongoing pandemic, White said there are no concerns as there are currently no active COVID-19 cases in North Spirit Lake and that the community has a high vaccination rate. 

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