But the sewage dump might forever tarnish that reputation, he fears, as the massive amount of raw sewage is pumped into the waters.

Desjardins is confident that the river will heal itself but whether its reputation will do the same remains another matter.

"The flow of the current will bring the wastewater down river but there's a picture that people will have in their minds," he told CBC's Daybreak.

"Right now you can't even touch the water, so asking people to come and catch their dinner in it will be hard work."