Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
Algoma Public Health lifted its water advisory for everyone who draws water from the St. Mary's River, following an oil spill from Algoma Steel on June 9. "The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has confirmed that all remediation activities have concluded, with no visible sheen being present on the river," the health unit said in a press release. "Sampling does not indicate any current risk resulting from the oil spill."
Algoma Public Health is warning people who draw water directly from the St. Mary's River or who have a well near the shore not to drink the water due to an oil spill. The spill does not affect the Sault Ste. Marie municipal drinking water system. The health unit says if your drinking water intake is located east (or downstream) of the Algoma steel mill and the Great Lakes Power plant, there is a risk of contamination.
