Leaders across Northeastern Ontario are standing united for the community of Gogama.

There is ongoing concern throughout the north that clean up efforts stemming from the March 2015 train derailment haven’t restored everything to acceptable standards.

Kapuskasing Mayor Al Spacek says the community’s waited long enough, and wants the government to step in and force CN Rail to finish the job.

“There may be an assumption that the environmental standards have been met in terms of minimum water quality but there’s certainly appears to be larger issues here that need to be addressed,” he said.

The big thing has been the ecosystem, and fears that the unfinished work has resulted in the death of fish in the Makami River.  Reports say the fish died due to the heat, but many are dismissing that sentiment.

Spacek says the community wants the ecosystem returned to what it was before over a million litres of crude oil spilled into the river.

“It’s a fair and reasonable request,” he added, “There are dead fish apparently floating in the river and there’s still globs of oil that are coming to the surface, and that’s not acceptable.”A resolution on the matter will come to Timmins city council Monday night.

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