Midwestern

Growing Concern Over Pollution In Owen Sound Harbour

There is growing concern from the Saugeen Ojibway Nation over pollution levels in the Owen Sound Harbour.

Researchers at Trent University have found that toxin levels in the harbour are very high due to a high presence of carcinogenic pollutants. In a release yesterday, Saugeen Ojibway Nation noted the very high toxin levels in the harbour. Land Use Planning Coordinator Doran Ritchie says the Saugeen Ojibway Nation has attempted divestiture talks with harbour owner Transport Canada on 3 occasions in 2008, 2010 and 2016, and they're no further ahead with those talks now.

"There has been some exchange of letters regarding resuming the discussions. At this point in time, I don't believe Transport Canada has anyone lined up to resume the divestiture talks at this point in time."

Ritchie says the levels are similar to the infamous Hamilton Harbour, and Saugeen Ojibway Nation still wants to resume divestiture talks whenever possible. He also says a major contributing factor to the high toxin levels is the industrialization at the harbour over a number of years.

"At that time there wasn't environmental monitoring in place to monitor contaminant levels. Since then there's been less usage, but a lot of those contaminants getting into the water body have now settled at the bottom of the lake."

Transport Canada had an environmental assessment of the harbour done in 2010, and that report also found high levels of toxins, including mercury and lead.

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