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.
Barrie’s residential tenants owe the city more than $323,000 in water and wastewater billing arrears. A recent report to City of Barrie council broke down the cost of running a decade-old municipal water billing program intended to make property owners fully responsible for any unpaid charges incurred by their tenants.
The City of Barrie could soon let some funding flow into Indigenous communities in need of safe, clean water. Council passed a motion Oct. 4 that will start the ball rolling on a plan to dedicate 0.2 per cent of the municipality’s 2022 water and wastewater revenue to Water First. The organization works to improve water services in Indigenous communities across Canada. Under the proposal, the city will consult with the Barrie Native Friendship Centre and Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle before taking further action.
