Sault Ste. Marie officially applies to be home of the Canada Water Agency
This past week, representatives from the Sault officially applied to become the site of the Canada Water Agency.
Mayor Matthew Shoemaker said he is confident the city's bid will be successful.
“We’re located right here in the middle of the Great Lakes on the gathering place between Lake Huron and Lake Superior and a short drive or short boat ride away in some cases from Lake Michigan,” Shoemaker said.
“When you think water in Canada, freshwater specifically, Sault Ste. Marie is at the heart of it all.”
A task force was created to help the city’s efforts. Elaine Ho-Tassone, Nordik Institute’s director of operations, is on that team.
Ho-Tassone said having a northern Ontario point of view could prove beneficial for discussions on water throughout the province and country.
“A lot of the issues start or are reflected upstream, we just don’t look at it that way,” she said.
“We look at ‘well what’s happening down in the bottom and how do we address that?’ Without thinking about what’s happening further up and what are the policies and practices and cultures that go into that without recognizing that.”
It’s not known at this point if the federal government will choose one, or multiple locations for the Canada Water Agency.
Ward 5 Coun. Corey Gardi said even if a regional approach is taken, being selected would still be a win for the city.
"It would mean the Sault capitalizing on opportunities provided by a changing climate and the importance of studying its impacts," Gardi said.
Shoemaker said adding another government agency makes sense based on those already located in the Sault.
“We’ve got world-class research facilities here already,” he said.
“We’ve got the Invasive Species Centre. We’ve got the Great Lakes Forest Research Centre and the Ontario Forest Research Institute. Across the river at Lake State we’ve got the American Freshwater Research Centre.”
Current partnerships could also prove helpful, said Ho-Tassone, whether it be with American agencies or Indigenous groups.
“Being able to bring together many First Nations and indigenous communities, which we have that ability, is something that can become a legacy project,” she said.
“A legacy impact for this agency, for the government, for just the way we have our relationships with each other moving forward.”
A decision on locations for the Agency is reportedly imminent. Ho-Tassone said it could happen before the end of the year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.