Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario sides of the river. Sault Ste. Marie is one of the oldest French settlements in North America. It was at the crossroads of the 3,000-mile fur trade route, which stretched from Montreal to Sault Ste. Marie and to the North country above Lake Superior. A cosmopolitan, mixed population of Europeans, First Nations peoples, and Métis lived at the village spanning the river. The city name originates from "Saults de Sainte-Marie", archaic French for "Saint Mary's Falls", a reference to the rapids of Saint Marys River. Etymologically, the word "sault" comes from an archaic spelling of "saut" (from "sauter"), which translates
Sault Ste. Marie City Council Sault Ste. Marie City Council The Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario is run by a city council of 10 Councillors, representing five wards, and a mayor. Prior to the 2018 municipal elections, the Council was made up of 12 councillors, representing six wards, and a mayor. The city's current mayor is Christian Provenzano, who was sworn in on December 1, 2014 after defeating incumbent mayor Debbie Amaroso in the 2014 municipal election on October 27, 2014. He was subsequently re-elected on October 22, 2018. Municipal Elections were held on November 10, 2003 in Sault Ste. Marie