River Run 2026: Walk with Grassy Narrows for Mercury Justice!

September 23, 2026 at
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Downtown Toronto Toronto, ON

On September 23 at 12 PM, Grassy Narrows youth, leaders and community members will travel 1,700 km to Toronto for River Run 2026. They are asking thousands of us to show up. Wednesday, September 23 12 PM Grange Park, Toronto This is a family-friendly event. Rain or shine!  RSVP FOR RIVER RUN 2026 Grassy Narrows people are powerful leaders in the movement for Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice. The community is home to the longest-running Indigenous blockade in Canadian history, which has helped save 15 million trees from being cut. Grassy Narrows has won major victories — including a 10-year logging ban, commitments to clean up the river, and a Mercury Care Home. But so much is still needed to right the wrong of mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows. On September 23, Grassy Narrows is calling on Ontario and Canada to: Compensate everyone in Grassy Narrows fairly for the mercury crisis. End the pollution by stopping the Dryden mill and ending mining and nuclear waste plans that threaten Grassy Narrows. Support Grassy Narrows in restoring their community and way of life from the damage that mercury has done. Grassy Narrows is travelling 1,700 km to Toronto. Let’s make sure thousands of us are there to stand with them. Bring your friends, family, coworkers, union, faith community or organization. RSVP AND SHOW UP FOR GRASSY NARROWS Coming from outside Toronto? Buses are coming from communities across Ontario. Click your community to sign up: Hamilton St. Catharines Kingston Guelph Kitchener/Waterloo London Peterborough Barrie/Orillia If you don’t see your community and would like to organize a bus, email solidarity@freegrassy.net. September 23 • 12 PM • Grange Park, Toronto Come out and show Grassy Narrows that you are with them in their fight for justice. Family friendly. Rain or shine

RSVP Here

Grassy Narrows secured a historic ban on  logging on their territory for the next 10 years and important promises to clean their river and build a Mercury Care Home. They have the longest-running blockade in Canadian history, which has helped foster Indigenous resistance across Turtle Island and saved 15 million trees from being cut.  But so much is still needed to right the wrong of mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows. On Wednesday September 23rd, 2026, community members and leaders will travel 1,700km from Grassy Narrows to Toronto to demand that Ontario and Canada: Compensate everyone in Grassy Narrows fairly for the mercury crisis End the pollution by stopping the Dryden mill and ending mining and nuclear waste plans that threaten Grassy Narrows Support Grassy Narrows in restoring their community and way of life from the damage that mercury has done. RSVP HERE to say that you will show up in solidarity and walk with them in their fight for justice. Download the poster below to put up in your workplace or community space!

Show Grassy Narrows that you are with them in this important fight by:Showing up to River Run 2026 and letting Grassy Narrows know you stand with them in their fight for justice! Share the RSVP link with friends and community asking them to attend with you Asking your organization to endorse the march, sending a large delegation to River Run Rally, and sharing it on your email lists and social media platforms.  Email solidarity@freegrassy.net to endorse the march and confirm your delegation’s attendance.

BACKGROUND The devastating mercury crisis in Grassy Narrows First Nation has persisted for decades, ever since 9 tonnes of mercury was dumped upstream in the 1960s, with little action from governments to help the people.To this day, Grassy Narrows people do not get fair compensation for the serious impacts of the ongoing mercury crisis on their health, culture, and livelihoods. To make matters worse, Ontario is still allowing the Dryden mill to make the mercury problem worse through ongoing pollution in its effluent. Meanwhile, proposals for new mines and a nuclear waste disposal site upstream threaten to make things worse.Grassy people are powerful leaders in the movement for Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice. They have shown us that we can fight for justice against all odds and make real gains

Together we have kicked the world’s largest newsprint company off of Grassy Narrows lands, forced the government to commit to clean up the English and Wabigoon Rivers, comprehensively reform the Mercury Disability Board, and build a Mercury Care Home and Treatment Center in Grassy Narrows. We won’t stop until Grassy Narrows has the good life that they enjoyed before mercury. Come out to show your support for Grassy Narrows’ fight for mercury justice!This is a family friendly event. Rain or shine! Check out FreeGrassy.net for more details as the event approaches.

Check out FreeGrassy.net for more information.