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.
Saint John is set to undergo $38.7 million worth of upgrades to its water and wastewater infrastructure, some of which date back to 1872. The project involves upgrading and separating a portion of uptown Saint John's aging combined sewer system, which will include excavating and repairing the water and sewer pipe system and designing and constructing additional wastewater infrastructure, according to a provincial government media release issued Wednesday.
