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.
A major milestone for the project was the commissioning of the Permanent Effluent Water Treatment Plant, which started discharging clean water to Kenogamisis Lake from the plant site in October, said general manager Eric Lamontagne during the update. The plant treats contact waters from the mine site as well as collected seepage from historical tailings.
Towedo, along with other First Nation chiefs at the ceremony, made reference to the mine being a steward of the land, ensuring it protects water and other natural resources. The mine will relocate tailings from a former tailings site for the McLeod-Mosher and Hardrock Mine. The movement of the tailings is slated to actually improve water quality in neighbouring Kenogamisis Lake, and reduce the amount of arsenic in Barton Bay and the Central Basin.
