Sarnia
—  City  —
Walking trail next to the St. Clair River in Sarnia.
Motto: Sarnia Semper (Latin for "Sarnia Always")
Sarnia
Coordinates: 42°59′58″N 82°18′32″W / 42.99944°N 82.30889°W / 42.99944; -82.30889Coordinates: 42°59′58″N 82°18′32″W / 42.99944°N 82.30889°W / 42.99944; -82.30889
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
County	Lambton County
Settled	1830s
Incorporated	June 19, 1856 (town)
Incorporated	May 7, 1914 (city)
Government
• City Mayor	Mike Bradley
• Governing Body	Sarnia City Council
• MPs	Pat Davidson (CPC)
• MPPs	Bob Bailey (OPC)
Area[1][2]
• Land	164.71 km2 (63.59 sq mi)
• Metro	799.87 km2 (308.83 sq mi)
Elevation	191 m (627 ft)
Population (2011)[1][2]
• City	72,366
• Metro	89,555
Postal code span	N7S, N7T
Area code(s)	519 and 226
Website	www.sarnia.ca

Sarnia is a city in Southern (Southwestern) Ontario, Canada (2011 population 72,366; Urban Area population 79,526; Census Agglomeration population 89,555)^[3]. It is the largest city on Lake Huron and in Lambton County. It is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River, across the border east of Port Huron, Michigan.

The city's natural harbour first attracted the French explorer La Salle, who named the site "The Rapids" when he had horses and men pull his 45-ton Barque "Le Griffon" up the almost four knot current^[4] of the St. Clair River on 24 August 1679. This was the first time anything other than a canoe or other oar-powered vessel sailed into Lake Huron^[5]. La Salle's voyage led the way for commercial shipping on the Great Lakes^[6]. The Archaeological and Historic Sites Board of Ontario considers this voyage worthy of note, as shown by the photo.

The Sarnia port remains an important centre for lake freighters and oceangoing ships (known as "salties"^[7]) carrying cargoes of grain and petroleum products.

The natural port and the salt caverns that exist in the surrounding areas^[8], coupled with the oil discovered in nearby Oil Springs in 1858^[9] led to the massive growth of the petroleum industry in this area. Since Oil Springs was the first place in Canada and North America to commercially drill for oil, the knowledge that was acquired there and strengthened in Sarnia led to Sarnians traveling the world teaching other nations how to drill for oil.^[10] The complex of refining and chemical companies, called Chemical Valley and located south of downtown Sarnia, once adorned the back of the Canadian ten-dollar bill. Sarnia has the highest level of particulates air pollution of any Canadian city.^[11] Forty-five percent of this comes from Chemical Valley,^[12][13][14] and the rest comes from the neighbouring United States.^[15]

History[link]

Name[link]

The name "Sarnia" is Latin for Guernsey, and that Channel Island has been called Guernsey since 1635 when John Selden penned the Mare Clausum. Selden's 1635 work definitively states--"That a possession and Dominion of this Southern Sea hath been held also of by the Kings of England, is not a little manifest by the dominion of those islands that lie before the shore of France. For 'tis generally known that, after King John and Henry III were driven out of Normandy itself, that the isles of Caesaria and Sarnia (which we call Jersey and Guernsey), Ameney, and some other neighboring isles lying near the shores of Normandy and Bretaign, yea and situated within that creek of sea which is made by the shore Bretaign on the one side and Normandy on the other, have in the following ages, both now and heretofore, remained the Dominion of England.^[16]" The Channel Islands lie between Southern England and Northern France, as indicated by Selden.

Claims that Sarnia is instead the older name of Sark are incorrect, as shown by Berry's 1814 treatise on the History of Guernsey. In this work, Berry shows that Sark's previous name was Sarmia, with an "M" instead of an "N." Berry further states that "...and thus applying Sarnia to Guernsey...".^[17] Since ancient Gaul was a Celtic society and the channel islands were disputed from 933 to 1635 by Duke of Normandy (see Sark), it is at least possible that the name Sarnia is of Celtic etymology, as well.

From "The Rapids" to "Port Sarnia" to "Sarnia", the city has undergone many changes^[18]—from a First Nations hunting ground to an up-and-coming settlement and an industrial centre. In 1821, Sir John Colborne was appointed Governor of the Isle of Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. Colborne served in that capacity from 1821 to 1828^[19]. In 1829, he arrived in York to become Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada^[19]. Also in 1829, Sarnia and Moore were surveyed by Boswell Mount, and named by Sir John Colborne, who first visited "The Rapids" in 1835^[18] when the village was composed of 44 taxpayers, 9 frame houses, 4 log houses, 2 brick dwellings, 2 taverns and 3 stores^[20]. Previous to his visit, the villagers had decided that a change of name was necessary, but found it impossible to agree on a new name. The English settlers favoured the name "Buenos Aires" and the Scottish "New Glasgow". To break the deadlock, Sir John Colborne suggested Port Sarnia and on January 4, 1836, the name was formally adopted by a vote of 26 to 16^[18].

Early History[link]

First Nations peoples have lived, hunted, and traveled across the area for as many as six-thousand years as shown by archaeological evidence on Walpole Island. These peoples were drawn from an amalgamation of Ojibwa, Ottawa, and Potowatami, clans, forming the Three Fires Confederacy, also called the Council of Three Fires. These clans came together through common links in both language and culture, developing a self-sufficient society where tasks and responsibilities were equally shared among all members.^[21] The Three Fires Confederacy helped shape the development of North America throughout the 18th Century, becoming a center of trade and culture.^[22] When war came to the new continent, the peoples of the Three Fires fought against the British in the Seven Year's War and on the side of the British in the War of 1812. Despite breaking numerous treaties with the United States prior to 1815, the The Three Fires Confederacy finally signed the Treaty of Springwells in September of that year and ceased all hostilities directed at the United States.

After the War of 1812, the first European settlers were French loyalists who moved north from Detroit. They successfully traded with the Three Fires Confederacy to contribute to the growth of the area.^[23] Sarnia grew further throughout the 19th Century, and on 19 June 1856, the residents passed the Act to Incorporate the Town of Sarnia and the name Port Sarnia was officially changed to Sarnia effective 1 January 1857. The Act mentioned 1,000 inhabitants in three wards. The wealth of adjoining stands of timber, the discovery of oil in nearby Oil Springs in 1858 by James Miller Williams, and the arrival of the Great Western Railway in 1858 and the Grand Trunk Railway in 1859 all stimulated Sarnia's growth. The rail lines were later linked directly to the United States by the opening of the St. Clair Tunnel under the St. Clair River at Sarnia in 1890 by the Grand Trunk Railway, which was the first tunnel ever constructed under a river^[24]. The tunnel was an engineering marvel in its day, achieved through the development of original techniques for excavating in a compressed air environment. The Paul M. Tellier Tunnel, named after the retired president of CN in 2004, was bored and began operation in 1995. Accommodating double-stacked rail cars, it is located next to the original tunnel, which has been sealed^[25].

Alexander Mackenzie, a stonemason by trade, came to Sarnia in 1846.^[26] He founded and then edited the Sarnia Observer for many years, and had many editorial battles with a Sarnia timber cutter named Malcolm Cameron. Mackenzie finally got the upper hand by printing an article showing Cameron had dealt unfairly with the Three Fires Confederacy. Although Cameron served two terms in Parliament, his further ambitions were thwarted because of the scandal. Mackenzie went on to serve as the second Prime Minister of Canada. He died in Toronto in 1892, aged 70, from a stroke related to a fall and was buried in Sarnia.^[26]

Canada Steamship Lines formed in 1913 from many previous companies that plied the waters of the St. Clair River. One of these companies was Northwest Transportation Company of Sarnia, which was founded in 1870^[27]. By 20 April 1914, when the residents passed Act to Incorporate the City of Sarnia, the population had grown to 10,985 in six wards. Sarnia officially became a city as of 7 May, also adopting the title "The Imperial City" because of the visit of Canada’s Governor General, H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, and his daughter Princess Patricia.^[28]

The city became a prominent deep water port during the 1920s when many of the shipping facilities that exist today were constructed. Sarnia’s port and harbour facilities regularly accommodate ships from all over the world. The waterway between Detroit and Sarnia is one of the busiest in the world with 100 million tons of shipping passing along this route each year. Ships pass up and down the river at the rate of about one every seven minutes during the shipping season.^[29] One of the largest grain elevators in Canada rises above the harbour, and next to it is the slip for the numerous bulk carriers that are part of the 100 million tons of shipping passing up and down the St. Clair River annually.

While there had been a petroleum industry in the Sarnia area since 1858, the establishment of the Polymer Corporation in 1942 to manufacture synthetic rubber during World War Two was the first step in establishing Sarnia as a major petrochemical centre. Because of Sarnia's importance in this industry, it became one of the primary targets of the Soviet Union's Anti-Energy strike strategy during the Cold War.^[30]

Modern History[link]

On 1 January 1991, Sarnia and the neighbouring town of Clearwater were amalgamated as the new city of Sarnia-Clearwater. The amalgamation was originally slated to include the village of Point Edward, although that village's residents resisted and were eventually permitted to remain independent of the city. On 1 January 1992, the city reverted to the name Sarnia^[18].

Sarnia has been in decline since the late 1960s as the population ages and younger people move out of the city to other areas^[31]. The April 2010 report "Sarnia-Lambton's Labour Market" states: "Large petrochemical companies are the community's main economic drivers. Over the recent past, several plants have shutdown, and of those still in operation, increased automation and outsourcing has lead to significantly fewer workers" ^[32]. These shutdowns and the resulting loss of jobs, and therefore population as workers search for employment elsewhere, have contributed to the decline. In fact, one August 2011 study shows that the population will decline by 17% over the next twenty-five years^[33]. The Monteith-Brown study cited outlines a plan for restructuring the city based on hybrid zoning areas, which will bring work opportunities closer to the neighborhoods where people live. The City of Sarnia and Lambton County are also implementing an economic development plan with an emphasis on bioindustries and renewable energy.^[34] In the same article, Mayor Mike Bradley jokes that he'll attract new developers by giving them a ride in his vintage Mustang and providing them with a plate of Sarnia's world famous fresh cut fries under the Bluewater Bridge^[35].

Geography[link]

Sarnia is located where Lake Huron empties into the St. Clair River. Most of the surrounding area is quite flat, and clay comprises most of the soil. Despite this, the soil is remarkably rich for growing and planting since the entire area was submerged prior to the Ice Age and plant and animal matter formed many layers of sediment as they settled after the waters receded. During the Ice Age, glaciers covered most of the area as evidenced by the existence of the Great Lakes. The terminal moraines dumped even more nutrients into the already very rich soil. Sarnia is not part of the Canadian Shield, being just beyond its southernmost reaches. The Canadian Shield itself has been largely untouched by water since long before the seas covered Sarnia. Sarnia is located 280km West of Toronto and 90km North of Detroit^[36].

Neighbourhoods[link]

Sarnia comprises many neighbourhoods. Wiltshire Park, Woodland, Oak Acres, Wees Beach, Oakwood Corners, Woodrow Shores, and Blackwell, are part of the more affluent North End, which begins immediately north of Ontario Highway 402 and terminates at the shore of Lake Huron. Coronation Park, Heritage Park, College Park, The Tree Streets, and Sherwood Village are some of the neighbourhoods south of the highway. ^[37] One Sarnia neighbourhood no longer exists: all that remains is a historical marker. The village of Bluewater was built to house workers and their families during the construction of Polymer Corporation and at one point had over 2300 residents, many of them French-Canadian. In 1961 all the residents were relocated, mostly to the North End, to make way for expansion of the chemical industry.^[38]

Climate[link]

The climate of Sarnia is considered mild by Canadian standards. Winters are cool but not very cold, spare for a few short-lasting Arctic air masses that dip far enough south and bring with them daily high temperatures lower than −10 °C (14 °F) ^[39]. Sarnia is located in a snowbelt and sometimes receives large quantities of lake-effect snow. A Windsor Star article printed 15 December 2010 states the following: "Snowbelts, like the one that stretches from the south of Sarnia through London to Woodstock, are created by lake effects—largely defined by water and wind" and "Making matters worse for this storm is extreme wind. (Environment Canada Senior Climatologist David Phillips) said Sarnia collected between 30 and 40 centimetres of snow, combined with sustained winds of more than 40 km/h, gusting up to 80 km/h. The wind sculpted massive snow drifts and reduced visibility to near zero, making travel impossible."^[40]. Otherwise, as also shown by the National Climate Data and Information Archive, Sarnia has very little regular snowfall, a result of its position at the southern tip of Lake Huron. Lake Huron moderates the city in several ways. It creates a seasonal lag: compared to the rest of Canada and to inland Ontario, Sarnia has a noticeably longer warm period following summer^[41]. However, cooler temperatures tend to prevail for longer after winter. Lake Huron can also create large temperature differences within the city in spring and early summer, particularly on hot days in late May, early June. Finally, extreme temperatures, particularly lows, are rarely ever seen. Weather in the Great Lakes Region tends to be more predictable than any other non-coastal area of the continent. Summers are warm to hot and usually humid. Humidex readings can be very high at times from late May to late September. In fact, Sarnia has the second greatest number of high humidex days at or above 35 °C (95 °F) (with 21.67 days on average per year) and humidex days at or above 30 °C (86 °F) (with 59.13 days on average per year) in Canada, both after Windsor, Ontario. Thunderstorms can become quite severe from April to September^[42]. Destructive weather is very rare in the area but has occurred, such as the tornado event of 1953.

Demographics[link]

In the 2011 Census, the City of Sarnia had a population of 72,366, an increase of 1.3% from the 2006 Census. With a land area of 164.71 km² (63.59 sq mi), it had a population density of 439.354/km² (1,137.92/sq mi) in 2011^[52].

In 2006, Sarnia had a predominately white population; only 6.13% were non-European. Of those, 34.06% were aboriginal^[53]. In 2006, 85.32% of Sarnians counted English as their mother tongue, 3.11% listed French, 0.29% counted both of those languages, and 9.76% counted another language as their mother tongue^[54]. The median age in Sarnia is 43.2 which is older than the Canadian median of 40.95^[55], indicative of Sarnia's aging population.^[56] According to the most recent data on religion (2001 Census), Sarnia is predominately Christian as 32.8% of the population were Catholic, 45.94% were Protestant, 3% were of other Christian faiths, 0.37% were Muslim, 0.19% were Jewish, 0.81% were other faiths. 16.86% professed no religious preference or were atheists^[57].

The median income in Sarnia (all census families, 2006) is $69,731 which is roughly the same Ontario as a whole with a median income of $69,156^[58]. The median cost of a home in Sarnia of $175,214 (2006) is much lower than Ontario with a median value of $297,479^[59].

Economy and Infrastructure[link]

The petrochemical industry is the main economic force in Sarnia. The Sarnia-Lambton Workforce Development Board states in its March 2011 Labour Market Report that: "Even though employment in both the petrochemical and agricultural industries has declined significantly in recent years, these two industries remain central drivers of the Sarnia Lambton economy."^[60]

When World War Two threatened tropical sources of natural latex for rubber, Sarnia was selected as the site to spearhead development of synthetic petroleum-based rubbers for war materials, and Polymer Corporation was built by Dow Chemical at the request of the Government of Canada.^[61] Large pipelines bring Alberta oil to Sarnia, where oil refining and petrochemical production have become mainstays of the city's economy. Shell Canada, Imperial Oil, and Suncor Energy (Sunoco) operate refineries in Sarnia. Large salt beds found under the city became a source of chlorine and other significant ingredients in the success of Chemical Valley. Chemical companies operating in Sarnia include NOVA Chemicals, Bayer (Lanxess and H.C. Starck), Imperial Oil, Royal Group Technologies, Cabot Corporation and Ethyl Corporation.

Dow ceased the last of its operations at its Sarnia site in 2009.^[62] The plant was decommissioned, and the land has been sold to neighbouring TransAlta Energy Corporation. TransAlta produces power and steam for industry, and is the largest natural gas co-generation plant in Canada. TransAlta has created the Bluewater Energy Park on the former Dow site.

Lanxess is the sole producer of approved food-grade butyl rubber, which is used to make chewing gum, and its Sarnia facility is the only one which currently makes the material.^[63] Lanxess has created the Bio-industrial Park Sarnia within the boundaries of its Sarnia plant.

Chemical Valley and the surrounding area are home to sixty-two facilities and refineries.^[64] These industrial complexes are the heart of Sarnia's infrastructure and economy. They provide thousands of jobs, not only in the plants and complexes themselves, but also in surrounding businesses. The huge industrial area also causes many environmental problems with both air and water pollution (see separate section).

Sarnia is the location of Enbridge's Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant. The facility went into full commercial operation in December 2009, with 20 mW of power. As of September 2010, the plan was the largest photovoltaic (PV) solar power generation facility in the world, putting out 97mW^[65]

The University of Western Ontario established a Research Park in Sarnia as part of its expansion. "The 80-acre Western University Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton Campus was established in 2003 as a joint initiative of the County of Lambton, the City of Sarnia, and Western University."^[66] The Research Park is also the location of the Bioindustrial Innovation Centre, Canada’s centre for the commercialization of industrial biotechnology.^[67]

Retail and Hospitality[link]

Sarnia has two large malls: Lambton Mall has seventy-two stores, and the Bayside Centre, which has fourteen stores, including an art gallery, and houses several government and medical services.^[68][69] Combined with several smaller shopping centres, major discount stores, dollar stores, convenient stores, and a collection of antique and specialty stores, they offer a wide range of shopping experiences^[70][71]. Travellers can choose from ten branded and many family-owned hotels and motels.^[72]

Transportation[link]

Bluewater Bridge from above 402 in Sarnia

Sarnia is a border city, on the Canadian side of the Bluewater Bridge linking Sarnia's neighbouring village of Point Edward to the city of Port Huron in the United States of America. The Blue Water Bridge spans the St. Clair River, which connects Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair. The original three-lane span, which was opened in 1938, was twinned on 22 July 1997,^[73] making the bridge the fourth busiest border crossing in Ontario.^[74] The Bluewater Bridge border crossing makes use of both the NEXUS (frequent traveler program) and the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program. Today linking Ontario Highway 402 with the US I-94 and I-69, the bridge is one of the most important gateways on the north/south truck routes as part of the NAFTA Superhighway.^[75]

Sarnia Transit provides public transportation within the City of Sarnia. This includes conventional bus transit, transportation of people with disabilities (Care-A-Van), transportation support for major events, and charter services. Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport is located in Sarnia. Air Georgian operates to and from Toronto Pearson on behalf of Air Canada Express. Sarnia is also one of the two western termini (along with Windsor) of the Via Rail Quebec City – Windsor Corridor, over which there is twice daily service to and from Toronto.^[76]

Health Care[link]

Sarnia is served by Bluewater Health, a hospital with 188 acute care beds, 70 complex continuing care beds and 27 rehabilitation beds.^[77] Prior to 2003, there were three separate hospital buildings in Sarnia, which included the St. Joseph's Health Centre and Sarnia General Hospital. In 2003, they amalgamated into a single corporation.^[78] A new hospital was planned under the single banner of Bluewater Health and the new hospital building opened its doors in 2010.^[79] Bluewater Health was recently recognized by HIROC, one of the largest hospital insurers in Canada, for its continued improvement in patient safety and care quality^[80]

Arts and Culture[link]

Culture[link]

Sarnia has much to offer in the arts. The International Symphony Orchestra plays at the Imperial Theatre and their season lasts from September to April each year. Michael Learned headlined Driving Miss Daisy at the same theatre in 2010^[81]. Former Max Webster frontman Kim Mitchell has also returned to his hometown on occasion to play a concert, most recently in 2008 for Sarnia's popular Ribfest^[82]. Canadian composer and music educator Raymond Murray Schafer was born in Sarnia and developed his radical schizophonia techniques there.^[83][84]

The Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership relates that the Imperial Theatre offers year round productions and Gallery Lambton offers exhibitions of some of the most influential artists working in Ontario today, many with national and international reputations. Besides the two museums in Sarnia proper, six other museums in the local area document Sarnia's history, including its legacy as the home of the North American Oil Industry ^[85].

Events[link]

During the Christmas season, the city of Sarnia presents the annual Celebration of Lights in Centennial Park. It was originally created in 1984 by Dr. Wills Rawana and a committee which was originally funded through the Centre by the Bay and Telus. Rogers Communications, TransAlta Corporation, and Ontario Power Generation sponsored the event in December 2011. In its first year, nine displays comprised only 650 lights. Throughout the last eighteen years the event has garnered numerous awards as it has grown, including second place in the 2002 Canadian Government's Canada WinterLights competition following the extensive judging of festivals across the country^[86] The Celebration was incorporated in its national prizewinning year and now offers motor coach tours not only of the displays in Centennial park itself, but also throughout all of Sarnia.^[87]

Sarnia Bayfest, which was preceded by the "Festival by the Bay," is an annual concert festival that features rock and country bands, typically during the second or third weekend of July. Big name bands highlight the festival annually, and this year the event runs 12–15 July 2012.^[88][89]

Film industry[link]

Portions of several films have been shot in Sarnia. Scenes from the 1994 film Renaissance Man and the 2000 film Bless the Child were both filmed at the Blue Water Bridge. In 2002, Michael Moore filmed segments of his documentary Bowling for Columbine in Sarnia. He interviewed residents outside the local Taco Bell, the plaza beside it, the Famous Players' Lambton 9 movie theater and at a gun show in nearby Point Edward. In the summer of 2004, Sarnia mayor Mike Bradley (who was also interviewed in the film), offered to name Moore an honorary citizen of Sarnia. In his 2007 film Sicko, Michael Moore returned to Sarnia to film and interview his relatives at Sears and in the Marina restaurant at the former St. Clair Parkway site, as well as interview a golfer at the Holiday Inn Golf Course.^[90][91]

Attractions[link]

There are over 100 parks of different sizes in Sarnia.^[92] The largest of these is Canatara Park, which covers over 200 acres along the shore of Lake Huron .^[92] Canatara is an Ojibwe word that actually means Blue Water. An important donor in 1932, Mrs. W. J. Hanna, named the park after helping purchase the land upon which the park now rests. The park was opened 24 May 1933.^[93]

Germain Park, Canadair Sabre, in Golden Hawks paint scheme

Within the park is Lake Chipican, which is a haven for 280 different species of birds on their migration routes.^[93] The park also maintains a Children's Animal Farm on the property as part of Sarnia's commitment to wildlife in Canatara Park.^[93] Germain Park is the largest recreational park and incorporates five baseball diamonds, four soccer fields, an outdoor pool, and the Community Gardens.^[92] Also, one of the last thirteen remaining Canadair Sabres in Canada is on display as a memorial to Canadian aviators who gave their lives in World War Two.

Sarnia has two museums within the city limits. Discovery House Museum, an historic house built sometime between 1869 and 1875 by a Sarnia lawyer, is a testament to Victorian Era construction^[94]. Since it underwent renovation on 1 May 2001 Stones ' N Bones has grown to house over 6000 exhibits spread over 10000 square feet. The collection includes rocks, artifacts, fossils, and bones from all over the world.^[95]

The city's sandy fresh water beaches are a popular tourist attraction, while the sheltered harbour houses marinas for recreational sailing. Since 1925, the 400 km (250 mi) Mackinac race from Sarnia/Port Huron to Mackinac Island, at the north end of the lake, has been the highlight of the sailing season, drawing more than 3,000 sailors each year .^[96]

There were two casino operations in the Sarnia area prior to 2012. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, or OLG, ran a slot machine establishment at the Hiawatha Horse Park in Sarnia but has since ceased operations of the slot machines^[97]. The Horse Park remains as a harness racing venue. In neighboring Point Edward, there is a full casino^[98].

Sports[link]

Sarnia is home to the Sarnia Legionnaires (1954–1970), the most successful Jr. 'B' hockey team in Ontario history with five Western Jr. 'B' Hockey League championships and four Sutherland Cups as Ontario Hockey Association Junior B champions in the 16 seasons^[99]. Today a new Sarnia Legionnaires play in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. It is also home to the Sarnia Sting, an Ontario Hockey League team. Dino Ciccarelli, a former NHL player, is a part owner of the team^[100]. Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning is the most successful Sarnia Sting product, as he was selected first overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and went on to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in 2010 and 2012. He also joined the 60 goal club in 2012, joining the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Brett Hull as one of only 19 players to achieve that feat.^[101][102]. Sarnia also boasts having a World Champion from its population. Curler Steve Bice played as alternate for the Glenn Howard rink^[103] in the Tim Hortons Brier and 2007 Ford World Men's Curling Championship, winning both^[104] Twice, in 1934 and 1936, the Sarnia Imperials won the Grey Cup as the Champions of Canadian Football^[105]. Today the Sarnia Imperials are a semi-professional team in the Northern Football Conference^[106].

Government[link]

Sarnia City Council consists of nine elected members: the Mayor, four members from the city, and four members from the county. The Mayor and all Council members are elected to four year terms. The four Lambton County Council members serve both County and City Council while the four Sarnia City Councillors do not.^[107]

The current mayor, Mike Bradley, has held the position since December 1988 and is the longest-serving mayor in the city's history.^[108] Past mayors of the city have included Andy Brandt, Marceil Saddy, Paul Blundy and Thomas George Johnston.

Right now, the four County/City Councillors are David Boushy, Jim Foubister, Bev MacDougall and Anne Marie Gillis. The four City Councillors presently representing citizens include: Andy Bruziewicz, Jon McEachran, Mike Kelch and Terry Burrell^[109].

At the provincial level, Sarnia is located within the Sarnia—Lambton provincial electoral district which is currently represented by Bob Bailey, a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario^[110]. At the federal level, Sarnia is located within the Sarnia—Lambton federal electoral district which is currently represented by Patricia Davidson of the Conservative Party of Canada^[111].

Education[link]

The Lambton Kent District School Board is responsible for the 13 elementary and four secondary public schools (Northern Collegiate Institute and Vocational School, Alexander MacKenzie Secondary School, Sarnia Collegiate Institute & Technical School and St. Clair Secondary School) located within Sarnia's boundaries^[112].

The St. Clair Catholic District School Board is responsible for the city's seven elementary and two secondary Catholic schools (St. Christopher's and St. Patrick's). Both boards also provide French immersion education. In 2014, St. Patrick's and St. Christopher's are scheduled to merge into St. Christopher's North Sarnia site and retain the St. Patrick's name^[113]. The Conseil scolaire de district des écoles catholiques du Sud-Ouest represents the two French Catholic schools in the city, Saint-François-Xavier and Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin, while the Conseil Scolaire de District du Centre Sud-Ouest operates two French public schools, the elementary École Les Rapides and the secondary École Secondaire Franco-Jeunesse. There are also two independent Christian elementary schools in Sarnia--Sarnia Christian School and Temple Christian Academy ^{[114] [115]}.

Lambton College is one of Ontario's 21 colleges of applied arts and technology. It has a full time enrollment of 2,500 and a part-time enrollment of about 8,000. It is the city's only post-secondary school^[116].

Media[link]

There are four radio stations that originate from Sarnia, although other stations rebroadcast their signal there, notably CKTI-FM, a First Nations produced station from Kettle Point.^[117]

• 1070 AM — CHOK, country/news/sports
• 99.9 FM — CFGX-FM 99.9 The Fox, adult contemporary
• 103.9 FM — CHOK-1 (rebroadcaster of CHOK AM)
• 106.3 FM — CHKS, active rock

Sarnia does not have any network television stations of its own, although the city does have a community channel, TVCogeco, on Cogeco, along with several rebroadcast stations from Detroit, Windsor, and London, Ontario.

The city's main daily newspaper is the Sarnia Observer, owned by Osprey Media, a division of Sun Media, itself a division of Quebecor.^[118] The community publications Sarnia This Week, Lambton County Smart Shopper and Business Trends are owned by Bowes Publishing. The monthly business oriented newspaper First Monday is owned by Huron Web Printing and Graphics.^[119] Lambton Shield Publishing has been in operation since November 2010 and runs an on-line only news website, lambtonshield.com, delivering local news and services to the Sarnia-Lambton area.^[120]

There are two magazines currently published in Sarnia, Business Trends and Report on Industry. Business Trends is distributed through City Hall and Report on Industry is sent to executives in surrounding businesses. One may also view Report on Industry articles online .^[121] Fix Magazine, an arts publication, was formerly published monthly in Sarnia but its website indicates it is on hiatus and "under construction" .^[122]

Notable people[link]

Many notable people call Sarnia home. Chris Hadfield will command the International Space Station starting in 2013.^[123] Nobel laureate George Andrew Olah, although born in Hungary, called Sarnia home. James Doohan of Star Trek fame attended high school in Sarnia. Most notable Sarnians, however, are athletes and others associated with sports and include former NHL star Pat Verbeek, NHL referee Kerry Fraser, current NHL star Steven Stamkos, champion curler Steve Bice, and 2003 Masters Champion Mike Weir. Dominique Pegg, a Sarnia gymnast, won a Bronze Medal in Floor Exercise at the World Cup event in Cottbus in March, 2012.^[124]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sarnia

• City of Sarnia

	Point Edward	Lake Huron
	Port Huron, Michigan / St. Clair River		Plympton–Wyoming
		Sarnia    East
	Marysville, Michigan / St. Clair River	Sarnia 45 IR, St. Clair	Enniskillen

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German state police officer in Hamburg

A Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer in the force's distinctive dress uniform.

Mounted Tourist-Police officers in Petra, Jordan.

A group of Garda officers in the Republic of Ireland.

A motor officer patrolling in Arizona on a motorcycle.

A police officer (also known as a policeman or policewoman, and constable in some forces, particularly in the United Kingdom^[1][2] and other Commonwealth nations) is a warranted employee of a police force. In the United States, "officer" is the formal name of the lowest police rank; in many other countries "officer" is a generic term not specifying a particular rank, and the lowest rank is often "constable". Police officers are generally charged with the apprehension of criminals and the prevention and detection of crime, and the maintenance of public order. Police officers may be sworn to an oath, and have the power to arrest people and detain them for a limited time, along with other duties and powers.

Some police officers may also be trained in special duties, such as counter-terrorism, surveillance, child protection, VIP protection, and investigation techniques into major crime, including fraud, rape, murder and drug trafficking.

Duties and functions[link]

Responsibilities of a police officer are varied, and may differ greatly from within one political context to another. Typical duties relate to keeping the peace, law enforcement, protection of people and property, and the investigation of crimes. Officers are expected to respond to a variety of situations that may arise while they are on duty. Rules and guidelines dictate how an officer should behave within the community, and in many contexts restrictions are placed on what the uniformed officer wears. In some countries, rules and procedures dictate that a police officer is obliged to intervene in a criminal incident, even if they are off-duty. Police officers in nearly all countries retain their lawful powers, while off duty.^[3]

In the community[link]

In the majority of Western legal systems, the major role of the police is to maintain order, keeping the peace through surveillance of the public, and the subsequent reporting and apprehension of suspected violators of the law. They also function to discourage crimes through high-visibility policing, and most police forces have an investigative capability. Police have the legal authority to arrest, usually granted by magistrates. Police officers also respond to emergency calls, along with routine community policing.

Police are often used as an emergency service and may provide a public safety function at large gatherings, as well as in emergencies, disasters, search and rescue situations, and Road Traffic Collisions. To provide a prompt response in emergencies, the police often coordinate their operations with fire and emergency medical services. In some countries, individuals serve jointly as police officers as well as firefighters (creating the role of Fire Police) or paramedics. In many countries, there is a common emergency service number that allows the police, firefighters, or medical services to be summoned to an emergency. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom have outlined command procedures, for the use in major emergencies or disorder. The Gold Silver Bronze command structure is a system set up to improve communications between ground based officers and the control room, typically, Bronze Commander would be a senior officer on the ground, coordinating the efforts in the center of the emergency, Silver Commanders would be positioned in an 'Incident Control Room' erected to improve better communications at the scene, and a Gold Commander who would be in the Control Room.

Police are also responsible for reprimanding minor offenders by issuing citations which typically may result in the imposition of fines, particularly for violations of traffic law. Traffic enforcement is often and effectively accomplished by police officers on motorcycles—called motor officers, these officers refer to the motorcycles they ride on duty as simply motors. Police are also trained to assist persons in distress, such as motorists whose car has broken down and people experiencing a medical emergency. Police are typically trained in basic first aid such as CPR.

In addition, some park rangers are commissioned as law enforcement officers and carry out a law-enforcement role within national parks and other back-country wilderness and recreational areas, whereas Military police perform law enforcement functions within the military.

Entry and promotion qualifications[link]

In most countries, candidates for the police force must have completed some formal education.^{[citation needed]} Increasing numbers of people are joining the police force who possess tertiary education^{[citation needed]} and in response to this many police forces have developed a "fast-track" scheme whereby those with university degrees spend two to three years as a Constable before receiving promotion to higher ranks, such as Sergeants or Inspectors. (Officers who work within investigative divisions or plainclothes are not necessarily of a higher rank but merely have different duties.)^{[citation needed]} Police officers are also recruited from those with experience in the military or security services. In the United States state laws may codify state-wide qualification standards regarding age, education, criminal record, and training but in other places requirements are set by local police agencies. Each local Police agency has different requirements.

Officers of the Polizia Municipale from Piacenza, Italy

Promotion is not automatic and usually requires the candidate to pass some kind of examination, interview board or other selection procedure. Although promotion normally includes an increase in salary, it also brings with it an increase in responsibility and for most, an increase in administrative paperwork. There is no stigma attached to this, as experienced line patrol officers are highly regarded.

Dependent upon each agency, but generally after completing two years of service, officers may also apply for specialist positions, such as detective, police dog handler, mounted police officer, motorcycle officer, water police officer, or firearms officer (in countries where police are not routinely armed).

In some countries such as in Singapore, police ranks may also be supplemented through conscription, similar to national service in the military. Qualifications may thus be relaxed or enhanced depending on the target mix of conscripts. In Singapore, for example, conscripts face tougher physical requirements in areas such as eyesight, but are less stringent with minimum academic qualification requirements. Some police officers join as volunteers, who again may do so via differing qualification requirements.

Police pay[link]

This section requires expansion.

In some societies, police officers are paid relatively well compared to other occupations; their pay depends on what rank they are within their police force and how many years they've served.^[4]

Occupational hazards[link]

Line of duty deaths[link]

Memorial to a fallen police officer at the Texas Department of Public Safety Houston Webster Office in Houston^[5]

Line of duty deaths are deaths which occur while an officer is conducting his or her appointed duties. Despite the increased risk of being a victim of a homicide, automobile accidents are the most common cause of officer deaths. Officers are more likely to be involved in traffic accidents because of their large amount of time spent conducting vehicle patrols, or directing traffic, as well as their work outside their vehicles alongside or on the roadway, or in dangerous pursuits. Officers killed by suspects make up a smaller proportion of deaths. In the U.S. in 2005, 156 line of duty deaths were recorded of which 44% were from assaults on officers, 35% vehicle related (only 3% during vehicular pursuits) and the rest from other causes: heart attacks during arrests/foot pursuits, diseases contracted either from suspects' body fluids or, more rarely, from emergency blood transfusions received after being in motor vehicle accidents, shot or stabbed, accidental gun discharges, falls, and drownings.^[6]

Police officers who die in the line of duty, especially those who die from the actions of suspects or in accidents or heart attacks, are often given elaborate funerals, attended by large numbers of fellow officers. Their families may also be entitled to special pensions. Fallen officers are often remembered in public memorials, such as the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in the U.S., the National Police Memorial in the U.K. and the Scottish Police Memorial, at the Scottish Police College.

In the United Kingdom, in the 10 years from April 2000 there were 143 line of duty deaths: 54 in road accidents travelling to or from duty, 46 in road accidents on duty, 23 from natural causes on duty, 15 from criminal acts, and 5 in other accidents.^[7] (In the United Kingdom, police do not normally carry firearms.)

The Singapore Police Force registered just over 100 deaths in a century up to the year 2000. There have been 28 New Zealand police officers killed by criminal act since 1890.^[8] Despite perceived dangers, policing has never been listed above number ten as one of the most dangerous jobs in the U.S. In terms of deaths per capita, driver-sales work such as food delivery is a more dangerous profession than being a police officer^[9].

Work stress[link]

Indicators[link]

The actual presence of stress in police work is well documented and evidenced by certain statistics. Researchers typically use suicide, divorce and alcoholism rates as three key indexes of stress in a group of people.^[10] These factors paint a compelling picture of police officers demonstrating signs of significant stress, for example:

• A study in the United States, by National Surveillance of Police Suicide Study (NSOPS), showed 141 suicides in 2008 and 143 in 2009. This yields a suicide rate of 17/100,000, a figure that holds up under scrutiny and is consistent with CDC/NOMS data.^[11] The overall suicide rate in the United States was 11.3 suicide deaths per 100,000 people.^[12] There is some speculation or controversy that this official rate may understate the actual rate as it is often other police officers that report facts that lead to a cause of death determination, and death benefits, institutional image, and other factors may be incentives to misreport incident facts. It is speculated that some suicides are reported by fellow officers as accidents or as deaths in the line of duty perpetrated by unknown assailants. Also, many jurisdictions simply don't keep suicide statistics. Even though the information is incomplete, the available statistics suggest that police officers are more likely to commit suicide than the general population. However there is still controversy in the interpretation of these statistics. When comparisons are made within age, gender, and racial cohorts, the differences are much less dramatic.^[13][14] Although suicides may be notably more prevalent among police, it is not clear whether police suicides are the result of work stress or the consequence of other variables, such as the influence of a subculture of violence^[15]
• Police officers are much more likely to experience interpersonal relationship problems. Relationship problems are most dramatically demonstrated by the divorce rate among police officers, which is usually reported as being the second highest of all occupations. However in a 2009 study, the divorce rates of law enforcement personnel were compared with the rates for other occupations, where data was analyzed from the 2000 U.S. Census. The results of the analysis indicate that the divorce rate for law enforcement personnel is lower than that of the general population, even after controlling for demographic and other job-related variables.^[16] The propensity to domestic violence is also thought to be higher for police officers than the general population, though the statistics are very fuzzy and controversial. Police officers also seem to have relationship problems at work, typically with superiors or with political oversight, though the evidence is largely anecdotal and controversial.
• Alcoholism is considered another aberrant statistic for police officers. Although the statistics are fuzzy, clinically treated alcohol addiction rates are usually calculated to be about twice as high for police officers than for the general population in the United States. In contrast, statistics documenting alcohol abuse are less precise. Rates for arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol, or DUI or DWI, are somewhat higher for police officers than for other drivers, but the statistics are not widely trusted outside of the insurance industry since it is other police officers that make DUI arrests. Some departments and even some individual officers tend to hold police officers to a higher behavioral and ethical standard while others will recognize a 'blue line' behind which those within the 'brotherhood' are not held to the same standards as the rest of society. Despite the controversies in the interpretation of the statistics, it is generally considered evident that police officers are more susceptible to alcohol abuse than other occupations. The same conclusions are usually made regarding the police abuse of other substances, though the statistics are even less accurate, and even though the higher rates of substance abuse may be due in part to the more ready access to drugs and the more permissive atmosphere 'behind the blue line' rather than to occupational stresses.

Hans Selye, the foremost researcher in stress in the world, said that police work is "the most stressful occupation in America even surpassing the formidable stresses of air traffic control."^[10]

Other researchers, though, claim that police officers are more psychologically healthy than the general population. Police officers are increasingly more educated, more likely to engage in a regular program of exercise and to consume less alcohol and tobacco, and increasingly family-oriented. Healthy behavior patterns typically observed at entry training usually continue throughout the career of an officer. Even though the presence of occupation related stress seems to be well documented, it is highly controversial. Many within the law enforcement industry claim the propagation of incorrect suicide, divorce, and substance abuse statistics comes from people or organizations with political or social agendas, and that the presence of these beliefs within the industry makes it hard for health workers to help police officers in need of treatment to deal with the fear of negative consequences from police work which is necessary to enable police officers to develop a healthy expectancy of success in treatment.^[17]

Sources[link]

Even though the presence of occupational stresses appear to be well documented, though not without controversy, the causes of workplace stress are comparatively unclear or even a matter of conjecture.

Although individual policemen and institutional public relations typically cite the risks of being killed in the line of duty as the predominant source of stress for individual policemen, there is significant controversy regarding the causes of personal workplace stress due to the fact that the actual risk of being killed is so small relative to other occupations.

It is charged that the myth of the high risks of occupational mortality connected with police work is often propagated by the law enforcement community as part of its institutional advancement and a central element in its public relations. Actual homicides of police are comparatively rare, but the reports of such incidents are typically reported in the press along with quotes by police officials or police officer family members stressing the notion that police officers 'put their lives on the line for the public' or 'risk their lives everyday', making it look like individual policemen routinely place themselves in mortal danger for low pay and little recognition, and that the view of police work as 'combat' is the source of police occupational stress indications.

Another explanation often advanced is the idea that police officers will undergo some traumatic experience in their police work that they never recover from, leading to suicide, divorce, etc. However, since the effects of such traumatic stresses is readily recognized, there are usually proactive programs in place to help individual police officers deal with the psychological effects of a traumatic event. Unfortunately, there is some evidence that such programs are actually ineffective, especially group therapies, may re-traumatize the participant, weaken coping mechanisms, and contribute to the development of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).^[18][19][20]

Observations where police officers and other emergency workers, such as firemen, experience the same traumatic event, it is more likely that the police officer will have difficulty dealing with the long term emotional effects of the traumatic event. On this observation, some of the academic literature suggests that along these lines the causes of occupational stress is more complex for police officers. Stress in police work is often present in other occupations, but not in an ongoing capacity. One line of thinking is that the individual stresses of police work produce a condition of chronic stress. Police officers encounter stressors in call after call which sap their emotional strength. Debilitation from this daily stress accumulates making officers more vulnerable to traumatic incidents and normal pressures of life. The weakening process is often too slow to see; neither a person nor his friends are aware of the damage being done. The effects of chronic stresses is two-fold:

• First, prolonged stress causes people to regress. Their psychological growth reverses, and they become more immature. They rapidly become more childish and primitive, much like a person being sick for several days becoming more irritable and childish in its demands on other people.
• Second, chronic stress numbs people's sensitivity. They can't stand to continually see human misery. They must stop feeling or they won't survive. The mind has this defense mechanism so people can continue working in horrible situations. If they kept their normal sensitivity, they would fall apart. As they become insensitive to their own suffering, they become insensitive to the suffering of others. When treated with indignity, they lose not only a sense of their own dignity but also the dignity of others. The pain of others stops bothering them, and they are no longer bothered when they hurt others.

The daily work of a police officer involves certain paradoxes and conflicts which may be difficult to deal with, the predominant examples are^[10]

• Any interaction with a member of the public, whether socially or officially, such as in a traffic stop, involves a non-trivial risk of verbal abuse or physical harm. Treating a person with common respect or normal social graces requires the officer to be off guard and unprepared for an attack. Being on guard for an attack and treating every interpersonal situation with safety procedures and affirmative commands makes the police officer appear cynical, brutal, and detached, and limits his actual effectiveness with the public. Considering someone a friend or an enemy produces opposite mental states, an unnatural no-win situation engendering chronic stress.
• A police department is both a professional and military organization, and these two aspects oppose each other. As a professional, he is considered to be an expert in his field and is expected to use his expertise for the good of his public. He has much discretion in how he serves the people who call upon him. However, the dangers and complexities of the work require a military structure of the organization and a military leaning in the training. Although some are actually educated, all police officers are well trained. Policies, regulations, and procedures cover every facet of police work. Everything is expected to be done by the book with substantial repercussions, including civil and criminal liability, for varying from the expectations of operating procedures. Often the facts of a situation require a course of action that does not follow procedures. If he follows procedures exactly, he knows he won't fully help the public, and the public will think he is shirking his responsibility. If the officer follows his own judgment, he is taking a risk. The community and department expect officers to use judgment, but when they do, there is a danger they will be disciplined; another unnatural no-win situation engendering chronic stress.
• Police officers tend to become socially isolated. The reasons given for this isolation are varied and mostly anecdotal. One theory is that police work is not balanced. Most occupations involve a combination of good and bad results. In police work, almost everything is bad, and everybody you deal with is perceived either inherently bad or at least foolish. Another is that police officers develop a 'street wisdom' and by fiat possess a degree of authority that tends to make them perceive themselves as being morally superior to the rest of society. Whatever the reason, the public that the police deal with clearly perceive it and tend to reinforce the divide. Classically when a group of people are isolated, they become disoriented and confused. Their behavior changes drastically. Ironically an isolated class are usually the ones who are losing real world wisdom and tend to judge the world incorrectly from a very limited perspective, leading to interpersonal mistakes and more chronic stress.^{[citation needed]}