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Serpent River Sign

A sign on the side of the highway, with a dark pile of toxic waste beside it on the right. The sign says: A Tribute to the Government of Canada. Here lie the remains of what was once the Cutler Acid Plant - 9000 truckloads of contaminated waste. Owned and operated in consecutive eras by Noranda Mines and CIL, the plant shut down in 1963, leaving us with this great legacy. DIA negotiated the lease on behalf of the Band and settled it without including us. The People of Serpent River Indian Ban dedicate this site to them, in recognition of their relentless pursuit of good on our behalf. God Save the Queen.

Photo by Ulli Diemer

In 1963, the Cutler Acid Plant in Serpent River First Nation was abandoned leaving behind toxic waste. Following this, Serpent River First Nation began a nearly two-decade long clean-up initiative to remove the remaining toxic waste from the community. The sign reads:

A Tribute to the Government of Canada. Here lie the remains of what was once the Cutler Acid Plant – 9000 truckloads of contaminated waste. Owned and operated in consecutive eras by Noranda Mines and CIL, the plant shut down in 1963, leaving us with this great legacy. DIA negotiated the lease on behalf of the Band and settled it without including us. The People of Serpent River Indian Ban dedicate this site to them, in recognition of their relentless pursuit of good on our behalf. God Save the Queen.