To whom it may concern, I am…

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to express my deep concern and heartbreak about the proposal to release treated sewage effluent into the Goulais River. This river is not an abstraction—it is a living waterway, materially and spiritually vital to many communities, including Batchewana First Nation, who have relied on and cared for these waters since time immemorial.

The Goulais is one of the largest tributaries flowing into Lake Superior, a system that sustains ecosystems, livelihoods, and cultural practices across the region. Many people use this river for fishing, swimming, and paddling. It carries stories and relationships far older than any of us.

I am troubled that Batchewana First Nation has not been meaningfully engaged in this process. Sending them a report is not consultation. Respectful, rights-based engagement requires dialogue, listening, and collaboration—especially when the proposed project affects waters that hold deep cultural and subsistence significance.

From an environmental science perspective, I am also concerned that the proposal does not include sufficient plans for:

Water quality monitoring to ensure ongoing protection of aquatic ecosystems and human health,

Emergency overflow management, and

Assessment of thermal impacts from the effluent, which could alter the river’s temperature regime and threaten fish reproduction and survival.

As someone trained in environmental science, I know that “treated” water is never 100% free of contaminants. Nutrients, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and temperature changes cumulatively degrade the health of rivers and downstream ecosystems.

It appears this plan is being advanced primarily to enable expansion of a ski resort—a development serving a small, short-term economic interest at the expense of a river that has flowed since the glaciers carved this landscape. This imbalance is deeply troubling.

I urge you to halt approval of this project until:

Full, transparent, and respectful consultation occurs with Batchewana First Nation;

Independent review is conducted on long-term ecological and cumulative effects; and

Alternative wastewater solutions are explored that do not involve discharging into the river.

The Goulais River deserves more than convenience. It deserves care, respect, and humility from those making decisions about its future.