A Guide to the Soo Mrkt Farmers Market

The Soo Mrkt Farmers’ Market, formally Mill Market, has a new permanent home—a newly renovated building on Brock Street in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It’s part of the Downtown Plaza, a dynamic new gathering place for the local community and visitors alike to enjoy. The Downtown Plaza is part of the city's downtown revitalization initiative. 

Soo Mrkt Farmers Market is a non-profit organization, governed by the vendors as well as members of the larger community. The market features up to 41 vendors weekly throughout the season. Additional vendors can be found in mobile retail units in the vicinity of the market building. Along with primary producers (farmers, ranchers, fishers, and nursery growers), there are also crafters and artisans, as well as prepared food vendors. 

The market only features products that are made, baked, grown, raised, caught, or harvested by an approved vendor in Ontario. All primary producers and prepared food vendors must comply with Algoma Public Health Unit Regulations and must have Health Unit approval to sell their products at the market.

Market Manager Robert Pryor shares that the farmers and vendors for this market come from around the Algoma District which includes the western part of Sault Ste. Marie, Prince Township, St. Joseph Island, Echo Bay, Desbarats, and as far as Thessalon, as well as north along the shore of Lake Superior. Bob mentioned that many people are pleasantly surprised to know that many farmers in Algoma have been able to extend the growing season by using covers and greenhouses for some of their crops. This means that local food can be grown nearly year-round.

There are strict criteria for farm vendors at the market, with the main requirement that food must sourced within Ontario. In fact, most of the food is grown and produced right here in Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma, as it’s too expensive to transport it from Southern Ontario. Vendors sell their products or will sell for their farm neighbours, with clear signage indicating where it is from. Farmers are also happy to share the growing practices of their farms – just another reason to buy locally!

“Our new location means we have a much brighter and more comfortable environment for our customers to shop and for our vendors to sell their goods," shared Bob. Doors leading into the market are both on Brock Street and on the Plaza side for convenience. There is lots of parking at https://soomarket.ca/visitor-info/ all around the market and the Algoma Farmers’ Market is close by for those who want to shop both markets. Tourists are welcome to come and experience the Soo Mrkt and pick up a special handcrafted item to bring home or just grab lunch.

As part of the Soo Market’s mandate, this farmers’ market strives for this ideal:

Community grown and made with love

The vendors and its welcoming atmosphere make it a pleasure to shop at this market.

Soo MRKT Farmers’ Market

Market Manager: Robert Pryor
73 Brock Street, Sault Ste. Marie ON
PH: (705) 575-6758
Email: SooMRKT@gmail.com
Web: https://soomarket.ca/
Instagram: @soomrkt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/millmarketssm/
Open year-round, Saturdays 9 am – 2 pm. For additional days open during the year, check social media postings. 

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