FAQ
If you have more questions or comments, send us an e-mail at cwaproject@cityssm.on.ca
What is the Canada Water Agency?
The Government of Canada is establishing a Canada Water Agency to improve freshwater management across the country. The location of the office has not been determined.
How will the host City be determined?
The Government of Canada has not outlined a formal process for selecting a Canada Water Agency location.
We have worked to position Sault Ste. Marie as a competitive and ideal candidate for the Canada Water Agency locations, and have submitted a proposal for the Agency.
How is Sault Ste. Marie preparing a proposal?
On June 28, 2021, Sault Ste. Marie City Council approved the formation of a Task Force to explore this potential opportunity. The Task Force developed a pitch to bring the Canada Water Agency to our community, which incorporates community feedback that has been published in our local What We Heard report.
The City of Sault Ste. Marie partnered with the Lake Huron Collaborative’s Dr. Elaine Ho-Tassone to lead a series of community discussions. We completed ten events in both online and in-person formats to gather input from local organizations, Indigenous persons, youth (ages 15-24), and the general public.
Who is on the Task Force?
The Task Force consists of internal City staff and external Stakeholders. The official Task Force membership includes:
Matthew Shoemaker, Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie
Corey Gardi, City Councillor
Tom Vair, Deputy CAO
Rick Van Staveren, Director Economic Development
Travis Anderson, Director Tourism & Community Development
Joe Turpin, Manager Business Attraction
Emily Cormier, Sustainability Coordinator
Dr. Elaine Ho-Tassone, Director of Operations, NORDIK Institute
Dr. Paula Antunes, Freshwater Researcher and Consultant
Ryan Namespetra, Natural Environment Coordinator, Sault College
Why Sault Ste. Marie?
Centrally located within the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world, the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s plentiful natural assets, cultural diversity, and local expertise that reaches beyond borders, make it an ideal location for such an Agency. Learn more.
How can I get involved?
Our community discussions are now complete. You can submit feedback to cwaproject@cityssm.on.ca.
Thank you to all of our community members for contributing your perspectives regarding having the Canada Water Agency in Sault Ste. Marie, as well as your priorities and values for ensuring a water secure District of Algoma. Your input helped guide the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s proposal to the Federal Government.
Where can I find the What We Heard report?
The City of Sault Ste. Marie partnered with Lake Huron North to bring community voices representing industry, non-profit organizations, youth, and Indigenous persons to the table to explore our vision for a water-secure future. Our What We Heard report summarizes those community voices.
Learn more about the contributions of community members, and more specifically discussions with ADSB (the Algoma District School Board).