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.
Essex Region Conservation Authority
A natural phenomenon at Peche Island has created a buildup of sediment that is disrupting water flow — affecting some wildlife and frequent users of the city-owned park. Low water levels and sediment in the area, which is likely the result of erosion, have created a "barrier beach" and cut off the channel that pushes water into the island's canals, according to Dan Krutsch. This barrier has caused the water in the island to become more still than usual, he said.
Windsor Regional Hospital's two main campuses have flooded due to heavy rainfall throughout Windsor-Essex. While water damage is of concern, no patient services have been impacted with the exception of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at the Ouellette Campus, according to a media release. The lab is closed until Monday due to flooding in the basement area where equipment is stored.
Following the release of a federal report assessing the impact of climate change on Canadian communities, a local climate change specialist says the effects have been felt across Windsor-Essex. "We know that climate change is threatening some of the vital ecosystem services we have here and negatively impacting our Great Lakes and water resources as well," said Claire Sanders, a climate change specialist with Essex Region Conservation Authority.
