SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO

''For the city of 'Sault Ste. Marie' in Michigan, or the Canadian federal and provincial electoral districts of the same name, see:'' Sault Ste. Marie (disambiguation).
'Sault Ste. Marie' (nicknamed "the Sault" or "the Soo") is a city on the St. Mary's River in Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Greater Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948 in 2006. The name is pronounced , where ''Sault'' is pronounced like ''sue''. Residents of the city are called ''Saultites''.
Sault Ste. Marie is bordered to the east by the Rankin Location and Garden River First Nation reserves, and to the west by Prince Township. To the north, the city is bordered by an unincorporated portion of the Algoma District, with Heyden as the nearest community. To the south, across the river, is the United States and the city of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
The two cities are joined by the International Bridge, which connects Interstate Highway 75 in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Huron Street in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Shipping traffic in the Great Lakes system bypasses the Saint Mary's Rapids via the American Soo Locks, the world's busiest canal in terms of tonnage that passes through it, while smaller recreational and tour boats use the Canadian Sault Ste. Marie Canal.
The city's crest contains the words "Ojibwa Kitche Gumeeng Odena" (from ''Ojibwe gichi-gamiing oodena'') which means "Town by the large body of water of the Ojibwe" (or simply "Town by Lake Superior") in the Ojibwe language.
Similar to many other Northern Ontario municipalities, Sault Ste. Marie's population has declined in recent years. Since the early 1990s, the city had dropped from 84,000 to 74,566 residents, but in the 2006 census the city's population grew very slightly to 74,948. The city's census agglomeration, consisting of the townships of Laird, Prince and Macdonald, Meredith and Aberdeen Additional and the First Nations reserves of Garden River and Rankin, had a total population of 80,098, up from 78,908 in 2001.
The Ontario city is also served by the Sault Ste. Marie federal electoral district and the Sault Ste. Marie provincial electoral district, both having separate boundaries.
Sault Ste. Marie is the seat of the Algoma District.

Contents

Meaning of the name

History

Economy

Transportation

Tourism

Demographics

Ethnicity

Religion

Government

Communities

Education

Sports

2007 Inductees

Culture and media

Radio stations

Television stations

Print and web media

Local Music and Musicians

Climate

External links

See also

Meaning of the name

The city name originates from "Saults de Sainte-Marie," archaic French for "Saint Mary's Falls", a reference to the rapids in the Saint Mary's River. Etymologically, the word "sault" comes from an archaic spelling of "saut", the French word for "leap" or "jump" (similar to ''somersault''), although there are citations dating back to 1600 for the use of the "sault" spelling to mean a waterfall or rapids.
In modern French, however, the words "chutes" or "rapides" are more usual, and "sault" survives almost exclusively in geographic names dating from the 17th century. (See also Long Sault, Ontario and Grand Falls/Grand-Sault, New Brunswick, two other place names where "sault" also carries this meaning.)

History

This area was originally called ''Baawitigong'', meaning "place of the rapids," by the Ojibwa, who used the site as a regional meeting place during whitefish season in the St. Mary's Rapids. (The anglicized form of this name, Bawating, continues to be used in institutional and geographic names in the area.)
After the visit of Étienne Brûlé in 1623, the French called it "Sault de Gaston" in honour of Gaston, Duke of Orléans , the brother of King Louis XIII of France. In 1668, French Jesuit missionaries renamed it 'Sault Sainte Marie', and established a settlement that is now Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, on the river's south bank. Sault Ste. Marie was incorporated as a town in 1887 and a city in 1912.

During World War II, and particularly after the US was attacked at Pearl Harbor in 1941, concern turned to the locks and shipping channel at Sault Ste. Marie. A substantial military presence was established to protect the locks from a possible attack by German aircraft from the north. The new development of long-range bombers created fears of a sudden air raid from the north. Military strategists studied polar projection maps which indicate that the air distance from occupied Norway to the town is about the same as the distance to New York. That direct route of about 3000 miles is over terrain where there were few observers and long winter nights.
A joint Canadian and US committee called the "Permanent Joint Board on Defence" drove the installation of anti-aircraft defence and associated units of the United States Army Air Forces and Royal Canadian Air Force to defend the locks.
An anti-aircraft training facility was established 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Sault Ste. Marie on the shores of Lake Superior. Barrage balloons were installed, and early warning radar bases were established at 5 locations in northern Ontario to watch for incoming aircraft. Military personnel were established to guard sensitive parts of the transportation infrastructure.
A little over one year later, in January 1943, most of these facilities and defences were deemed excessive and removed, save a reduced military base at Sault Ste. Marie.
On January 29, 1990, Sault Ste. Marie became a flashpoint in the Meech Lake Accord debate when council passed a resolution reiterating that English was the working language of city government. The Sault Ste. Marie language resolution was not the first of its kind in Ontario, but Sault Ste. Marie was the largest municipality to pass such a resolution and bore the brunt of the controversy.

Economy

The city has made a name for itself in steel-making, and Algoma Steel is the largest single employer with 3150 employees at the main plant and about 554 at the Tube Mill Tenaris, which is separate from Algoma Steel. During the 1940s, the steel and chromium operations were of substantial importance to the war effort in Canada and the United States. The Algoma Steel and the Chromium Mining and Smelting Corporation were key producers for transportation and military machines.
In the early 1960s and 1970s, Sault Ste. Marie was a booming town. However, as time passed and foreign imports became a vital reality of business success, the demand for the town's steel industry diminished. Two times within the past eight years Algoma Steel has declared bankruptcy and laid off large numbers of workers. Most recently, Algoma Steel was bailed out by the Ontario government, which promised interest-free loans.
Algoma Steel is currently the most profitable steel company per unit on a global scale. The company experienced a swift turnaround in 2004 from its earlier financial troubles in the 1990s, largely due to the rising costs of steel and the high demand for steel in China. Denis Turcotte, CEO, was named Canadian CEO of the year in 2006 for his efforts. An offer to purchase ASI by the Essar Group (India) had been recommended by the ASI Board of Directors and was approved. The company was officially sold to the Essar Group in June 2007 for $1.6 billion.
Forestry is also a major local industry, especially at St.Mary's Paper which has been reopened as of June 2007 under new ownership. Also related to wood products is Flakeboard Ltd., which employs over 110 people in the community along with an adjacent melamine factory which manufactures products with Flakeboard's materials. Such examples of this are furniture and cupboards where a finish is added to the product. Together both of Flakeboard's factories employ about 150 people.
St. Mary's Paper recently declared bankruptcy, after its union (C.E.P.) refused a final offer by the company.
The newest major industry involves business process outsourcing, with five call centres located within city limits employing about 4000 people. The largest employer of the five call centres is the Sutherland Group which employs about 1300 people in the community between its two centres. The call centre industry has become the largest combined employer in Sault Ste. Marie with five locations throughout the city.
Another very large employer in the community is the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). The OLG has a corporate office located within the city on the waterfront and employs about 900 people in Sault Ste. Marie between the corporate office and Casino Sault Ste. Marie. The head office used to reside within the city but was moved back to Toronto (York Mills) in 2000. Its role in Sault Ste. Marie has diminished; however, it is still the fourth largest employer next only to the call centre industry, Algoma Steel and Sault Area Hospital.

Transportation

Sault Ste. Marie is served by Highway 17, which is a segment of the Trans-Canada Highway in the region. The highway connects the city to Thunder Bay to the northwest and Sudbury to the east. The International Bridge also directs traffic from downtown to the beginning of the Interstate 75 freeway in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, which runs through Saginaw, Flint and Detroit before the Michigan/Ohio border (and eventually to Miami, Florida).
The International Bridge also directs traffic from the American side of the border via Sault Ste. Marie's new transport route that runs from the bridge to Second Line. This new limited-access roadway, known as "Carmen's Way" after the late MP Carmen Provenzano, will make it much easier for transport trucks to gain access to main roads. By 2008, Second Line will connect directly to a new Highway 17 freeway alignment currently under construction east of the city.
The city also plays an inherited role in marine transportation, with the locks in Michigan being an integral component of the St. Lawrence Seaway. However, the city also holds a small-scale lock which is used by small boats and other pleasure craft in the summer. Currently under construction is a multi-modal terminal designed to take advantage of the Sault as a rail, road, and water transportation hub.
Sault Ste. Marie is also served by Sault Ste. Marie Airport and Sault Transit Services [1]. The city is no longer linked to any other major cities by rail, but is part of the Algoma Central Railway network, which runs north from the city to the small town of Hearst. In 2006 the city's Member of Parliament, Tony Martin, called for passenger rail service to be reinstated between Sault Ste. Marie and Greater Sudbury. [2]

Tourism

Area tourist attractions include the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site, boat tours of the Sault locks (which connect Lake Superior with the lower Great Lakes), Whitefish Island, the Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site, Casino Sault Ste. Marie, the Art Gallery of Algoma and the Algoma Central Railway's popular Agawa Canyon Tour Train. Nearby parks include Pancake Bay Provincial Park and Batchawana Bay Provincial Park and Lake Superior Provincial Park. Winter activities are also an asset to Sault Ste Marie's tourism industry with the annual Bon Soo Winter Carnival, Searchmont Resort as a great ski and snowboard destination, Stokely Creek Lodge (cross country ski resort) and Hiawatha a nearby cross country ski trails. The city also hosts a large snowmobile trail system that criss-crosses the province of Ontario.
A new non-motorized HUB trail is being created around the City (20 km) so that walkers, rollerbladers and cyclists (snowshoeing and cross country skiing in winter) can enjoy the beautiful and convenient circle tour around town. The Voyageur Hiking Trail, a long-distance trail that will eventually span from Manitoulin Island to Thunder Bay, originated in Sault Ste. Marie in 1974.
Sault Ste Marie will be the site of The Borealis Project, a $54 million complex to be completed on 14 acres of prime waterfront property. The project includes plans for a 144 room luxury hotel, a performing arts theatre, space for retail outlets, restaurants, a 35 thousand square foot educational biodome featuring exotic tropical plants, an upscale day spa, and an ice hotel to be operated during the winter. City officials argue this project, unique to North America and the culmination of nine years of planning, will serve as an asset to the tourism industry of Sault Ste. Marie and attract midwestern Canadians and Americans within a day's drive of the city.
Recently the city council demanded that Philip Garforth supply documentation proving that the partnership is still valid. The due date has expired and Mr Garforth was not able to produce supporting documents of such a partnership. The commonly held belief is that this project is for the most part finished.
The city is also home to the Station Mall, one of the largest shopping malls in Northern Ontario.

Demographics

The population of the city suffered a steep decline in the 1990s and early 2000s with many individuals migrating to larger cities in southern Ontario. The population has now stablized and continues to increase with the improving economic climate. Some employers are currently reporting labour shortages in several job categories.
The population under 14 still continues to be greater than those over 65 years of age.

Ethnicity

Sault Ste. Marie was at one time a haven for Italian immigrants. The city has a large concentration of Italians for a community its size and comprise a predominant role in the city's businesses.[3]. The city also has a noticeable First Nations population, with three reserves nearby.
Those who are of European origin constitute 91.6% of the population, including those who are of Italian, Franco-Ontarian, English, and Nordic, and southern European descent. Aboriginals or Native Canadians constitute 7.8%, and those who are Chinese, Asian, Black, and Filipino make the remainder of the population.

Religion

Christianity is the largest faith in the city with Roman Catholicism being the strongest denomination, which can be attributed to the large number of citizens with a traditional Catholic-Italian heritage. The largest non-Christian religion is Buddhism numbering 126 members, with small communities of Jews, Muslims, and Hindus.

Government

''See also:'' Sault Ste. Marie municipal election, 2006.
The Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie is run by a city council of 12 councillors (representing 6 wards) and a mayor. The last municipal election was held on 13 November, 2006.
The current mayor is John Rowswell, first elected in 2000 and re-elected in 2003 and 2006.
Ward Councillors:

★ Ward 1 — Steve Butland, James Caicco

★ Ward 2 — Susan Myers, Terry Sheehan

★ Ward 3 — Bryan Hayes, Pat Mick

★ Ward 4 — Lorena Tridico, Lou Turco

★ Ward 5 — David Celetti, Frank Fata

★ Ward 6 — Ozzie Grandinetti, Frank Manzo

Communities

Neighbourhoods in the city include: Bayview, Broadview Gardens, Brookfield, Buckley, Carpin Beach, Cedar Heights, East Korah, Eastside, Fort Creek, Grandview Gardens, Korah, Manitou Park, McQueen, Meadow Park, Odena, The P Patch, Pointe aux Pins, Pointe des Chênes, Pointe Louise, Steelton and Nokomis Beach.

Education

The city is home to Sault College, a college of applied arts and technology, and to Algoma University College, an affiliated college of Laurentian University in Sudbury. While the vast majority of programs at Algoma University College and Sault College are delivered on the respective campuses, both institutions also offer joint programs with Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. On May 31, 2007, the Government of Ontario announced that Algoma University College will become an independent university.
Sault Ste. Marie is home to both the Algoma District School Board and the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board, and is part of the Conseil scolaire de district du Grand Nord de l'Ontario and the Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Nouvel-Ontario. It is also home to the following high schools:

★ Alexander Henry High School (''English, public, trade and adult education'')

★ Bawating Collegiate & Vocational School (''English, public'')

★ Korah Collegiate & Vocational School (''English, public, offers the International Baccalaureate Programme'')

★ École secondaire Notre-Dame-des-Grands-Lacs (''French, Catholic'')

★ St. Basil Secondary (''English, Catholic'')

★ St. Mary's College (''English, Catholic'')

★ Sir James Dunn Collegiate & Vocational School (''English and French Immersion, public'')

★ White Pines Collegiate & Vocational School (''English with some Ojibwe, public'')

Sports

Sault Ste. Marie is the home of the 1993 Memorial Cup champion Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Famous NHLers who have played for the Greyhounds include Wayne Gretzky, Joe Thornton, Adam Foote, Ron Francis, Paul Coffey, Craig Hartsburg, Ted Nolan, Greg Millen, Rick Tocchet, Steve Sullivan, Jeff Beukeboom, Bob Probert, John Vanbiesbrouck, Dan Cloutier, Tim Dorrance, Ray Emery, and Ric Jackman. As of fall 2006, the Greyhounds now play in the new Steelback Centre, a state-of-the-art downtown arena that replaced the Sault Memorial Gardens, which opened in 1949. Sault Ste. Marie has been awarded the 2008 OHL All-Star game.
Sault Ste. Marie also had a team in hockey's first professional league. The 'Canadian Soo' team played in the International Professional Hockey League from 1904 to 1907.
In 2004 the city of Sault Ste. Marie constructed a temporary skatepark on the John Rhodes Centre grounds with the help of the Superior Community Skatepark Association (SCSA), a non-profit community group promoting the development of a world-class permanent concrete skateboard park in Sault Ste. Marie.
Many current and past NHL hockey players are from Sault Ste. Marie. Notable NHL players from Sault Ste. Marie include NHL Hall of Fame brothers Phil and Tony Esposito, 2007 All-Star goalie Marty Turco, 1998 first round draft pick Rico Fata, and Ron Francis.
==Sault Ste Marie Walk of Fame Inductees==

2006 Inductees

★ Roberta Bondar, neurologist and astronaut (the first Canadian woman in space)

★ Francis Clergue, industrialist and visionary

★ Ken Danby, artist

★ Ron Francis, NHL player

★ Joanie and Gary McGuffin, adventurers, conservationists, and authors (joint honour)

★ Ted Nolan, NHL- and junior-level hockey coach

★ Kevin Scott, world-record setting speedskater

★ Morley Torgov, author and humourist

★ Treble Charger, recording artists

★ Jessica Tuomela, Paralympic swimmer

2007 Inductees

★ Phil and Tony Esposito, NHL players and and Team Canada 1972 alumni

★ Harry Graham, forester and academic

★ John Rhodes, broadcaster and politician

★ Darren Zack, softball pitcher

Culture and media

Sault Ste. Marie is home to the Bon Soo winter carnival, held every February.
The city also hosts the annual Algoma Fall Festival which draws local and international performing artists. The Kiwanis Community Theatre and the landmark Central United Church are used for the performances. Both venues hold approximately 1,000 people.
The Musical Comedy Guild produces one, and sometimes two, amateur musical theatre productions throughout the year. The Guild is known for producing high-quality productions.
Residents celebrate Community Day on the third weekend of July. The local Rotary Internationalclub organizes a three-day event called Rotaryfest. Highlights include a large children's activity area, continuous free entertainment, and a large parade in the morning.
Buskerfest, an annual street performer festival now in its third year, is held in August.
It is also the birthplace of the first youth police cadet group in Canada: the Sault Squires Police Cadet Corps.

Radio stations

For stations licensed to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, see that city's article.

★ 530 AM - CIRS (tourist information)

★ 88.1 FM - CBON-18 (La Première Chaîne)

★ 89.5 FM - CBSM (CBC Radio One)

★ 92.9 FM - CFWJ-FM (tourist information)

★ 97.3 FM - CHIM-6 (Christian)

★ 100.5 FM - CHAS - (EZRock, adult contemporary)

★ 104.3 FM - CJQM - (country music)
The first radio station in Sault Ste. Marie was CJIC which signed on in 1934. It became CFYN in 1977 when the assets of the station were sold to Gilder Broadcasting.
CKCY became the Canadian Sault's second radio station, signing on in 1955.
Both CKCY and CFYN were shut down in 1992 as part of one of Canada's first Local Management Agreements entered into by Pelmorex Broadcasting Ltd. (the managing partner in this case) and Telemedia Communications Inc..

Television stations

For stations licensed to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, see that city's article.

★ 2 - CHBX, CTV

★ 5 - CBLT-5, CBC (formerly CJIC)

★ 12 - CIII-12, Global

★ 20 - CICO-20, TVOntario

★ 26 - CBLFT-20, SRC

★ 38 - CHCH-5, CH

Print and web media

Other media include the daily ''Sault Star'' and weekly ''Sault This Week''. Online news sites such as ''SooToday.com'', ''SooNews.ca'' and ''SaultSports.com'' have emerged in recent years, due in large part to news cutbacks at CTV Northern Ontario.

Local Music and Musicians

Sault Ste. Marie's local underground music scene has recently come out of it's shell and bands such as Bless the Fall, Dead and Divine and Moneen have shown up for shows. The city also has numerous bands in the hardcore/punk scene.
A noteable band to come out of Sault Ste. Marie was Treble Charger.

Climate

Climate information is taken from the Sault Ste. Marie Airport (YAM)

Average climate for Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	'Year'
Maximum daily temp. (°C)	-5.5	-4.2	0.9	8.4	16.5	21.1	'24.0'	23.0	18.0	11.5	4.1	-2.2	'9.6'
Minimum daily temp. (°C)	'-15.5'	-15.2	-9.7	-2.2	3.5	7.9	11.3	11.3	7.5	2.5	-3.1	-10.3	'-1.0'
Precipitation (mm)	71.3	41.1	60.1	68.5	63.1	78.4	76.8	84.7	'96.5'	86.7	85.7	75.9	'888.7'
Rainfall (mm)	7.8	4.7	28.0	50.5	62.5	78.4	76.8	84.7	'96.2'	80.3	50.7	13.7	'634.3'
Snowfall (cm)	'81.7'	42.8	34.8	17.4	0.5				0.2	6.2	38.6	80.8	'302.9'
Snow depth (cm)	35	'40'	28	4							2	15	'10'
Wind speed (km/h)	14.3	12.6	14.1	14.5	13.4	12.0	11.0	10.7	12.5	14.2	'15.6'	13.3	'13.3'

Extreme climate for Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Extreme humidex (°C)				31.6	37.3	40.9	'42.9'	42.7	39.5	33.2
Extreme maximum temp. (°C)	7.8	10.8	21.1	27.8	31.8	34.0	'36.8'	36.1	32.8	26.7	19.4	15.4
Extreme minimum temp. (°C)	'-38.9'	-38.7	-35.6	-20.6	-8.9	-5.6	0.0	-3.3	-8.3	-10.0	-21.7	-36.7
Extreme windchill (°C)	'-44.8'	-42.3	-38.4	-27.8	-10.0					-13.9	-29.2	-42.8
Extreme daily precipitation (mm/d)	32.5	61.0	37.8	41.1	'116.6'	77.2	43.9	89.8	71.2	44.0	50.4	37.6
Extreme daily rainfall (mm/d)	32.5	39.1	30.2	38.2	'116.6'	77.2	43.9	89.8	71.2	44.0	50.4	37.6
Extreme daily snowfall (cm/d)	30.2	'61.0'	27.7	27.0	10.2	21.1			2.1	12.6	37.0	48.1
Extreme snow depth (cm)	111	117	137	58	4				3	8	36	'140'
Extreme wind speed (km/h)	80	64	74	74	65	64	63	74	65	72	'89'	80
Extreme wind gusts (km/h)	107	100	100	102	89	100	109	98	94	105	'119'	98

External links

★ City of Sault Ste. Marie

★ Economic Development Corporation

★ Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce

★ Soo Guide: Pictoral Guide to Sault Ste. Marie

★ Environment Canada's Weather Report for Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

★ Climate info from Environment Canada

★ SooWeather.com

See also

★ Twin cities

★ Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan