Sault Ste. Marie

SAULT STE. MARIE

Province : Ontario

Official blazon

Arms : Azure two chevronels Argent between two square flaunches rompu Or, in chief a whitefish naiant, in base a lily Argent.
Crest: The Clergue Block House proper.
Supporters: Two eastern wolves proper each supporting a hand crucible shafted Or and standing on a mount of pine branches and maple leaves issuant from waves proper.
Motto: OJIBWE GCHI GAMI ODENA

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on March 20, 2015.

Blue, white and yellow are the colours of the city. The side segments and chevrons evoke the historic locks of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal. The centre section also resembles the cross section of a steel girder, thus alluding to the steel industry that was an important part of the city’s history. The whitefish is a species found in great numbers in the St. Marys rapids. The lily is a symbol of St. Mary and thus alludes to the city’s name; it also pays tribute to the city’s French heritage.

The Clergue Block House is a distinctive local historic structure. Originally a fur trade structure used by the Northwest Company, it was acquired and expanded by Francis Clergue, an American industrialist who developed the city’s industrial base in the 1890s.

The eastern or timber wolf is a powerful local animal known for its gregariousness. The crucibles, held by long shafts, are tools used by steelworkers to gather molten steel; as such, they provide another reference to the city’s steel industry heritage. The base marks the significance of the local forestry industry, and the white-capped waves make a reference to the St. Marys rapids.
The maple leaves indicate the city’s identity as a Canadian border municipality, their gold colour alluding to those in the coat of arms of Ontario.

This Ojibwe phrase, meaning “Settlement near the Ojibwe’s big lake”, was used with slightly different spelling in the original arms of the city.

Literature : Image and information from http://www.gg.ca