Sault Ste. Marie's top news stories of 2022

From the opioid crisis, to Algoma Steel news, to politics CTV News Northern Ontario takes a look back at the last year in the Sault.

The addiction crisis has been top of mind for many in Sault Ste. Marie over the past year. While opioid related deaths continued to rise, plans for a residential withdrawal management facility were unveiled this year. Tempers flared at times as mental health and addiction advocates waited on word from the province on a promised facility.

"We shouldn't have to do events like this, standing out in the cold and the rain, to get people's attention," said Connie Raynor-Elliott, founder of Save Our Young Adults (SOYA) fuming in rage.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's mostly our provincial Government."

In the days following a rally by SOYA demanding transparency on the withdrawal management site plans, MPP Ross Romano confirmed the location and funding for the new facility, which is being constructed on Old Garden River Road.

"I commend every advocacy group out there for committing to trying to get the help for all those who have been suffering," Romano said at the time.

For much of 2022, unionized workers at Algoma Steel seemed poised to go on strike. However, an 11th hour deal was reached and a strike was averted.

Nonetheless, Algoma Steel found itself at the centre of another controversy when an oil spill on its property forced the temporary closure of the St. Marys River and city officials revealed that it was not the company that first alerted them to the spill.

"It actually came from one our staff who had come into work in the morning at the Civic Centre and had noted it and notified fire," said CAO Malcolm White.

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Sault Ste. Marie also saw a changing of the guard at city hall, with two-term mayor Christian Provenzano deciding not to seek a third term in office. He was succeeded by long-time councillor Matthew Shoemaker, who handily defeated his rivals for the mayor's chair. He was joined at the council table by four new councillors – Angela Caputo, Stephan Kinach, Sonny Spina, and Ron Zagordo.

The Sault also re-elected Ross Romano as its MPP this summer.

These were just some of the stories that made headlines in Sault Ste. Marie this past year.