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.
Growing up, I was always surrounded by the serene beauty of lakes. From family picnics by the shores of Lake Ontario to my first canoeing experience in the pristine waters of Lake Louise, lakes have been an integral part of my identity. Their vastness, depth, and the life they support have always fascinated me. Today, I invite you on a journey to explore some of the most interesting facts about Canadian lakes, interwoven with personal memories and reflections.
Joe Lacorne looks toward the Mackenzie River, a familiar sight for many decades. But the river doesn't look normal. "The water level is really low this year," he said. "It's hard to get around with even boats." Lacorne, who has lived in the tiny hamlet of Fort Providence, N.W.T., for about 60 years, said he keeps an eye on the river for his community. "Spring time, [it's] always like a big rush of snow melting and that's when the water is up high," he said. "But during the summer, we just lost water, just rapidly. Water disappeared."
In the wilderness north of Great Slave Lake, in Canada’s Northwest Territories, mining companies are eyeing a potential treasure trove of critical minerals as demand for lithium, nickel, graphite and copper has risen sharply to meet the needs of the burgeoning electric vehicle and solar power industries.
Pine Point, N.W.T., could have a fully operational lead and zinc mine within the next five years — nearly four decades after the old mine closed down and the nearby community was abandoned. In 2022, Pine Point Mining Limited received its Type A water licence, allowing it to withdraw water to be used for mineral exploration drilling, camp use, dust suppression and testing, among other things.
Where two rivers meet without mixing much, the colorful contrast can be striking. The confluence of the Back and Hayes rivers in Nunavut, Canada, is such a place. The colorful confluence and surrounding landscape in the eastern Canadian Arctic are visible in this image acquired on June 30, 2014, with the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. The relatively dark blue-green water of the Back River contrasts sharply with the light turquoise of the Hayes.
In a news release on Tuesday, the GNWT said current data shows water flowing fast on the Slave, Tazin, and Taltson rivers, while water levels in Great Slave Lake are high for the time of year – conditions that lend themselves to flooding. The territory stressed it is difficult to predict the likely impact come springtime. Factors include how much precipitation arrives in the coming weeks, the thickness of the ice, and when – and how quickly – that ice thaws.
The Town of Hay River is awaiting a GNWT report – expected at any moment – that might offer guidance on how the community’s water treatment plant could be upgraded to handle turbidity in Great Slave Lake. Turbidity – better known as muddiness – has resulted in three boil-water advisories since spring break-up, and the latest was still in effect as of late last week.
Dene National Chief Norman Yakeleya said that the issue of water safety, especially flowing from the oil sands, has been a concern for as long as he has been Chief. In a tele-press conference Yakeleya told media that he is “befuddled as to why an essential service, such as monitoring the quality of the water coming from the oil sands production fields, was suspended.” He said that water is essential for drinking, for fish, for the animals, and “for the sake of all people in the Northwest Territories.”
