Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

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.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Blue Community

Upcoming Festival du Loup over the moon to be low-waste event

Upcoming Festival du Loup over the moon to be low-waste event

Tiny was also the first Blue Community in Ontario and third in Canada, as a municipality that recognizes water as a human right, bans the sale of bottled water in civic spaces, and supports the public ownership of water utilities. “In order to support this commitment and thanks to capital funding received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation 15 accessible and touchless water fill stations will be installed in the fall 2023 at 12 municipal parks (five beach parks and seven inland parks), including Lafontaine Park," Desroches told MidlandToday through email. However, without those water refill stations installed prior to the festival, Petitpas shared that La Meute worked to find a solution. “Getting water refill stations was a bit of a conundrum since no local company rents mobile water fill stations,” said Petitpas. “We got creative and will have big five-gallon water jugs with pumps (filled with municipal water).” Reusable water bottles with festival logos will also be sold at the all-day event.

How London became a 'blue community'

How London became a 'blue community'

London has been officially recognized as a “Blue Community” for its commitment to safe drinking water. The Council of Canadians presented a certificate to Mayor Ed Holder and the city’s water department during a ceremony in front of City Hall Wednesday. The Blue Community Project requires the adoption of the following framework: recognizing water and sanitation as a human right, banning the sale of bottled water at municipal facilities and events, supporting publicly owned and operated water and wastewater services.

London now 'Blue Community' for water stewardship efforts

London now 'Blue Community' for water stewardship efforts

The City of London has joined the likes of Berlin, Paris and Los Angeles in joining the world's 'Blue Community' movement. In a Blue Community, water and water sanitization are considered a human right, with the city not cutting off water to those struggling to pay for it, rejecting privatization of water services and not selling bottled water at municipal properties.

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