For generations, the people of Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation) have been forced to fight for the right to live in peace and safety on their own lands.
This month, you can stand with them.
On September 23, Grassy Narrows youth, leaders, and community members will travel 1,700 kilometres from northern Ontario to Toronto for River Run 2026. They are coming to demand justice for the devastating mercury crisis that has poisoned their people and waters, and to demand fair compensation for the harms they have endured and an end to the industrial threats that continue to put them at risk.
The past has a way of repeating itself
A major new investigation by the Toronto Star reveals that federal government scientists have raised serious concerns about a proposed gold mine upstream from Grassy Narrows. This could require water treatment forever and worsen mercury contamination.
Shockingly, despite these warnings, the federal government is still fast-tracking the mine’s permit. So is the Ontario government. It’s as if they have learned nothing from years of mistakes. This shines a bright light on the reality of ongoing injustices Grassy Narrows continues to face today.
Decades ago, tonnes of mercury were dumped from a mill into the river system upstream from the community. Mercury entered the food chain and contaminated the fish that Grassy Narrows people relied on for food, livelihood, and culture since time immemorial. The Nation and its members have been living with the devastating consequences ever since.
Power, leadership, and community resistance
Even as new industrial projects threaten to perpetuate the injustice, the people of Grassy Narrows continue to demand fair compensation and for the government to put an end to ongoing industrial threats and to restore their waters and way of life.
That’s why RAVEN is proud to be the Nation’s partner in raising funds and awareness for their legal claim against the Ontario and Federal governments.
Over the years, both levels of government have failed to meet their obligations to protect Grassy Narrows from the harms of mercury contamination and other industrial impacts. The legal action calls on the governments to compensate Grassy Narrows for damages arising from these failures, to restore the river system, and to finally uphold their Treaty promises.
Through RAVEN’s Community Action Fund, we are grateful to also be able to support community participation at the River Run this year. This fund recognizes that access to justice involves much more than lawyers and courtrooms. It requires community members, Elders, and families together being able to participate in legal processes, Indigenous protocols, and advocacy. In so many profound ways, Grassy Narrows people are showing what is possible when communities organize and persist.
Get involved today
That’s why, on September 23, supporters and allies will walk alongside Grassy Narrows First Nation community members in Toronto. The rally is a chance to make their demands impossible to ignore and to remind governments that the public is watching.
Join River Run 2026 on September 23. Walk with Grassy Narrows.
And if you can’t make it to Toronto, donate directly to Grassy Narrows to support their ongoing fight for mercury justice, clean water, Indigenous rights, and a healthy future for generations to come.
