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Since 2022, NORDIK Institute has partnered with communities across our region to collaboratively train and coordinate volunteers to monitor the health of our waters. These teams are collectively called Water Ranger teams, or WatR teams for short. Communities we currently work with are Missanabie Cree First Nation, Batchewana First Nation, the City of Sault Ste. Marie (through the Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority), the Township of Thessalon, and the Township of Huron Shores. As our office is based in Sault Ste. Marie, at Algoma University, we offer most of our training sessions from this location; however, we do periodically offer events and training sessions in our partner communities as well – contact us to learn more about these opportunities, or to schedule one Since 2022, NORDIK Institute has partnered with communities across our region to collaboratively train and coordinate volunteers to monitor the health of our waters. These teams are collectively called Water Ranger teams, or WatR teams for short. Communities we currently work with are Missanabie Cree First Nation, Batchewana First Nation, the City of Sault Ste. Marie (through the Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority), the Township of Thessalon, and the Township of Huron Shores. As our office is based in Sault Ste. Marie, at Algoma University, we offer most of our training sessions from this location; however, we do periodically offer events and training sessions in our partner communities as well – contact us to learn more about these opportunities, or to schedule one contact Kiki( kiki.vetrie@algomau.ca )or Ajaz( ajaz.shaikh@algomau.ca )
Now that the 2025 monitoring season is upon us, WatR teams at NORDIK are seeking water enthusiasts to join their community’s team! As a WatR volunteer, you will have the support of a network of like-minded community members as you learn more about water quality statuses, challenges (e.g., microplastics) and solutions in our region. By volunteering your time, you will contribute to collecting much-needed data to support Great Lakes’ decision-making and ensure a healthier and more resilient community by becoming a voice for our local waters.
Join one or more of our free, no-obligation training sessions to learn more! We currently have three topics to choose from: an introduction about our team’s water quality monitoring activities, how to conduct broader stream assessments, and how to survey for microplastics in and around our waterways. While we hope you will volunteer with us at any of our 40+ sites across the region (25 of which are in Sault Ste. Marie), there is no requirement. We are proud to offer these sessions to all community members who want to learn more about local waters. Sessions are offered at Algoma University on a monthly basis, or may be scheduled in other communities upon request. To learn more about the Sault Ste. Marie sessions, please contact us or click the registration link within each topic description to learn more.
Description of training sessions:
1. Water Quality Monitoring Training
*Training sessions are scheduled for each month.
If you are unable to join our training sessions due to a schedule conflict, please let us know, and we will arrange an alternative session accordingly.
Description: This training is for any community members who want information about our team’s water quality monitoring activities. Learn how to use the Water Rangers Freshwater Explorer Test kit. Learn why monitoring is important, why we need data in the northern Great Lakes, and what we can do with this important data we are collecting. Become a citizen scientist! This session is mandatory for those who wish to be water quality monitoring volunteers. Register here.
2. Microplastics Exploration in the Northern Great Lakes
Description: Join us to explore how microplastics could impact freshwater quality and the health of those who live in and around waterways. We will discuss how we can reduce microplastics in our waters and environment. This is an active session where participants will identify and analyze microplastic samples using the Saturna Imaging System by Ocean Diagnostics. We are the first organization across the Great Lakes to make use of this new, state-of-the-art tool, and you can be among the first to use it! Register here.
3. Introductory Stream Assessment Workshop (one upcoming session)
Description: This hands-on training session will teach participants how to assess the physical characteristics of local rivers and streams, learn about biological indicators of water quality, and understand different biological sampling techniques such as invertebrate surveying, travelling kick and sweep and eDNA testing. Learn about qualitative observation and how the water can tell us its story. Register here
2022 – 2026
NORDIK Institute produced a video series for the Ontario Craft Council’s Growing Ontario’s Craft Community In the North pProject. Sixteen artists from across the North speak in one minute segments about their craft, the challenges and advantages of working in the region.
2011
Dr. Jude Ortiz, Meghan Ableson
This research pilot began in the winter of 2014 to investigate urban beekeeping in the context of Sault Ste. Marie. The pilot project set out to assess the feasibility of an established, successful, working apiary within the city by fostering positive community relations; continual operation and/or expansion of bee colonies in the community; gathering a baseline of public perception of urban beekeeping; and the ability of public outreach and education in addressing community perceptions.
2014-2015
Laura Wyper
A peer network to share, generate and mobilize knowledge to strengthen organizational capacity was developed by the Arts Council of Sault Ste. Marie; Conseil des Arts de Hearst; and 4elements Living Arts on Manitoulin Island. This project was funded by the Ontario Arts Council’s Compass Grant for increasing organizational capacity, and was facilitated by NORDIK Institute. The project led to a strengthening of the organizations’ management capacity; provided the time and space necessary to initiate an internal dialogue within each organization, as well as a dialogue with community members and mentoring partners; and an improvement in a variety of organizational aspects, strengthening these capacities within the cultural sector.
It was suggested that the peer mentoring process could be used as a model for building sustainability throughout the region as it established critical support through dialogue, share resources and knowledge mobilization in a region that is challenged by geographical distances and contextual differences to southern Ontario.
Jude Ortiz, Meghan Ableson, Dr. Gayle Broad
2012-2013
Soup Ste. Marie is a public dinner designed to use community-driven financial support to democratically fund projects led by individuals, businesses and groups of community members. It is a recurring micro-grant model based on the international Sunday Soup program which uses crowd sourcing to finance creative projects through community meals. This years’ theme was “Engaging Indigenous Youth.” UIYFC were the lead organizers for the event supported by NORDIK Institute, Social Entrepreneurship Evolution and YouLaunch. Marek McLeod won over $400 to deliver youth paint nights where he would teach arts-based skills to create painting based on elder’s teachings.
2013 – Ongoing
Elizabeth MacMillan, Rebecca Commanda, Katie Blundt, Jamie McIntyre
The Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) is began as a project of Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre and NORDIK Institute, with support from farmers and communities to enhance the agriculture and food sector in Algoma. RAIN’s vision is to build a resilient farm and food sector in northern Ontario through innovative research and agriculture development projects. To date RAIN has conducted research in Forage Improvement, Novel Crop Studies, Value Chain Development; and has developed programs such as the SNAPP (Sustainable New Agri-Food Products & Productivity) Program, and the Regional Tile Drainage and Land Clearing Program, to name a few.
Dr. Gayle Broad, Errol Caldwell, David Thompson, Mikala Parr, Melissa Watson, Jordan Danielewicz, Jessica Laidley
Present
For more information please visit RAIN’s website at http://rainalgoma.ca/ and follow their blog at http://rainalgoma.ca/home-2/blog/
Follow RAIN on twitter @RAINAlgoma
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rainalgoma
YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChowRsaQQgh2YppqMb25-pA
Reflecting the North: Regional Realities in Art, Craft and Culture, was a symposium event organized by NORDIK Institute as part of the Ontario Craft Council’s Growing Ontario’s Craft Community in the North project. Over 50 people from a variety of cultures and locations contributed to the discussions which focused on cultural identity, marketing, education and sustainability.
Dr. Jude Ortiz, Meghan Ableson
2011
For a comprehensive summary of the discussion and other symposium presentations and resources, visit the blog: http://reflectingthenorth.wordpress.com/
The North Shore Tribal Council’s Health Program provides ‘primary prevention’ health promotion services by collaborating with health workers in the 7 North Shore First Nations & with Urban Aboriginal Service Providers in Sault Ste. Marie. NORDIK provided research training to NSTC health workers that helped them assess and improve the quality of their health programs, which provides ‘primary prevention’ health promotion services by collaborating with health workers in the 7 North Shore First Nations & with Urban Aboriginal Service Providers in Sault Ste. Marie.
Heather Schmidt, Theresa Binda, Dr. Gayle Broad
This initiative advanced the public awareness of local food producers and products, playing a vital role in the viability and growth of local agriculture and farming. NORDIK researchers compiled a list of local food sources into a printable brochure, providing consumers with an accessible entry point into the marketplace. This work enhanced economic opportunities in Algoma by making the connection between producers and consumers through promotion, education and cooperation.
David Thompson
2010 – 2014
Bring Food Home Algoma: Policy Paper on Building Resilient Futures, highlights needs and challenges within the current food system, including the need for education about food production and processing, meeting food needs related to the region’s existing and emerging cultural diversity, and increasing access to healthy local food. It also underscores the need for cross-sector collaboration and diversifying local food production and promoting sustainable production methods.
Dr. Laura Wyper, David Thompson, Sean Meades
2019
1520 Queen St. East
Sault Ste. Marie
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