How Sault Ste. Marie is turning into one of Canada’s best running cities

When Nick Brash moved to Sault Ste. Marie in 2015, it was simply to pad his resume. He was hired as the general manager of the city’s Holiday Inn Express, and Brash says he planned on putting in a few years up north, getting experience in running a hotel and then moving back to southern Ontario to continue his career. Six years later, he’s still in “the Soo,” as it’s referred to by locals, and he has no plans to leave anytime soon. 

“Once you get up here and meet a family of bears face to face, see a moose, see wolves, you’re hooked,” he says, “The connection to nature can’t be matched.” 

The Soo is nestled in the heart of the Great Lakes, and with this closeness to incredible waterways, plus proximity to the rugged Canadian Shield, it’s no surprise that it is emerging as one of Canada’s best outdoor adventure towns. Locals have always recognized the easy access to the city’s adventurous charms, which include world-class cross-country skiing trails (these are overtaken by runners in the spring, summer and fall), one of the highest vertical downhill ski hills in the province, exhilarating mountain bike trails and incredible canoeing and kayaking. 

Word is spreading, and more and more people are finding out about the Soo. A scenic drive or a short hop on a plane from Toronto means that one of Ontario’s best-kept secrets may not stay hidden for long.

Brash now lives near Stokely Creek Lodge, a nordic skiing centre that’s just a short drive outside the city, and he says he has run every trail there many times. He picked up running shortly before moving to the Soo, but only because his doctor recommended it. 

“My doctor said I had two choices: lose weight and get fit, or get diabetes,” Brash says. When he headed north, he lived in his hotel while he looked for a house, which he says encouraged him to run even more, as he wanted a break from his place of work after hours. This led him to explore the city and its surrounding areas, and he hasn’t stopped since. 

“There’s no shortage of things to explore,” he says. “It’s this hybrid paradise of road running, waterfront running and trail running. The whole community is based on outdoor enthusiasm.” On top of his work at the hotel, Brash is the race director of the Ultra Trail Stokely Creek, a qualifying event for UTMB in France and perhaps the toughest running race in Ontario. The race is going ahead this year on September 17 and 18.

His race is certainly the city’s biggest running event, but Brash says there are many others throughout the summer in a normal year. There are also plenty of running groups in the Soo, he says, meaning you’ll always have something to train for and someone to accompany you on your runs. 

Moving north

Since the start of the pandemic, people everywhere have shifted to remote work, and although we’re slowly edging back toward normal life, many individuals don’t plan on returning to the office. The decision to work from home leads to significant freedom, eliminating the idea that you have to live somewhere and replacing it with the possibility of living where you want. 

That’s where Sault Ste. Marie comes in. The city is now offering an Adventure Pass to new residents. The pass will have a value of about $500, but city officials aren’t kidding themselves into believing that this sum will convince someone to move from Toronto to the Soo. Instead, the Adventure Pass is meant to show prospective residents that the Soo is a great option for them.

“What we’re trying to do is reinforce the lifestyle we have here,” says Travis Anderson, Sault Ste. Marie’s director of tourism and community development. “As someone contemplating moving here or visiting here, once you do some research, you quickly understand that the Soo is arguably the best outdoor adventure town in Ontario.” 

The Adventure Pass will be redeemable at various outfitters and businesses around the Soo, including ski hills, bike shops, outdoor retailers and more. For runners, Anderson says, the pass could help purchase some new shoes and gear. 

For anyone considering making this move, visit the City of Sault Ste. Marie website for more information. Fair warning, though: just like Brash, you’re apt to fall in love with the Soo, and even if you expect to move elsewhere after a couple of years, those plans are likely to change in a flash.

For more information, visit welcometossm.com and saulttourism.com. 

This article is brought to you by the City of Sault Ste. Marie.