SooToday received the following Letter to the Editor from Batchewana First Nation Member Chase Waboose, who expresses concern with Searchmont's intentions to dump treated sewage wastewater into the Goulais River without Batchewana First Nation consultation:
To whom it may concern,
I am writing as a concerned member of Batchewana First Nation regarding the recent disclosure that Searchmont Ski Resort, with assistance from Kresin Engineering, intends to discharge treated sewage wastewater into the Goulais River — a waterway of deep cultural, spiritual, and practical importance to our people.
Let me be clear: no formal consultation has taken place with Batchewana First Nation regarding this project.
We were reportedly sent a report, but no meetings occurred, no follow-up discussions were offered, and no opportunity was provided for our community to raise concerns, ask questions, or participate in decision-making. According to Kresin representatives, consultation was dismissed on the grounds that the project is privately funded, and the open house held was described as a mere courtesy.
This is an unacceptable misinterpretation of Canada’s Duty to Consult obligations under Section 35 of the Constitution Act. Regardless of funding source, when a project poses potential impacts on Indigenous lands, rights, or waterways, meaningful consultation and accommodation are not optional — they are required.
The Goulais River is not just water to us. It is a living, sacred ecosystem where generations of our people have fished, swam, gathered medicine, and conducted ceremony. Discharging filtered wastewater — containing phosphates, microplastics, and pharmaceutical residues — into that river threatens not only the environment, but our treaty rights and cultural survival.
The proposed treatment system (SBR – Sequencing Batch Reactor) only filters out 80–85% of contaminants. Worse, there is no emergency response plan in place should that system fail. This is not due diligence. It is negligence.
If this water is safe, why not reuse it for snowmaking at the hill itself? When asked, the resort’s own management admitted that would “take too long” to get approved. Would skiers feel safe riding on “treated snow”? If not, why should our people be expected to drink from or swim in that same water downstream?
I call on:
- The media to investigate and report on this situation immediately.
- The Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MECP) to halt approvals until full consultation with Batchewana First Nation is conducted.
- Searchmont Holdings Corporation and Kresin Engineering to pause all discharge planning and sit down with our leadership.
- Allies and the broader public to stand with us in protecting the Goulais River — not just for Indigenous people, but for all who rely on it.
Respectfully,
Chase Waboose,
Member, Batchewana First Nation