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.
The IISD Experimental Lake Area has received $11.7 million, over the next five years, from the Government of Canada through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) Major Science Initiatives Fund. “This funding is essential to driving forward our research on threats to Canada’s precious fresh water—from microplastics to drugs in our water and much more,” said Richard Florizone, IISD’s President and CEO in a prepared release.
A boil water advisory has been issued for Kenora, Ont., residents who are north of the Canadian Pacific Railway and consume water from the city's water distribution system. According to a news release, the boil water advisory, which came into effect on Tuesday, is due to a major water main break, which has made it so the safety of the drinking water cannot be guaranteed.
Rain in the forecast could increase the water level on Lake of the Woods again in the next few days, just as flood conditions were beginning to improve. As of Friday, the lake was 324.1 metres (1,063.3 feet) above sea level, just a few centimetres below its record crest of 324.31 metres (1,064 feet) above sea level reached during the flood of 1950, according to the Lake of the Woods Control Board. However, rainfall is expected to rise between five and 11 centimetres (two to four inches) over the next week, with most of the rise occurring over the weekend, says the board's most recent notice.
A remote First Nation in northwestern Ontario is still working to recover from "unprecedented water levels" coming from the Pikangikum Lake, according to an emergency management official with the community. Major infrastructure and the main source of drinking water in Pikangikum were threatened by the rising water earlier this week, and the sole road to the northern store — the only place community members can purchase food and gas — was covered with water. The remote First Nation has about 3,000 residents and is located 500 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay, Ont.
The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) is warning of blue-green algae blooms in the Kenora area. Blooms have been reported in the northern sections of Lake of the Woods, as well as in the Winnipeg River and Muriel Lake, the NWHU said. The Muriel Lake bloom is being tested, but the NWHU said water samples will not be taken from Lake of the Woods or the Winnipeg River at this time.
In addition, the NWHU said another bloom has been reported in Lulu Lake near Kenora. People are asked to avoid the water in those lakes, as blue-green algae can produce toxins which can pose a health risk to people an animals. The water shouldn't be used for swimming, drinking,or household purposes for at least two weeks after the bloom has dissipated.
We start with a drought update. More communities in Alberta have declared a state of agricultural disaster as drought continues to decimate crops across much of Western Canada. As CBC News reports, Rocky View County is the latest to make the declaration because of expectations of terrible yields this year. Meanwhile, ranchers in Alberta say they, too, are continuing to struggle and are worried about feeding their animals as the drought hits feed supplies. Global News has that story.
The Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations (WBAFN), a tribal council with six member First Nations in Northern Ontario, and Canadian charity Water First Education & Training Inc. announce their partnership to deliver a drinking water treatment and environmental water science internship program for young Indigenous adults. Approximately 12 interns will be recruited from six participating First Nations communities across the tribal council’s region to pursue Operator in Training (OIT) and Water Quality Analyst (WQA) certifications.
Kenora MP Eric Melillo says he doesn't accept the federal government's decision to delay, when it comes to providing clean drinking water to all First Nation members. "This is a crisis that has been going on forever in the history of Canada, and yet it has not been responded to. We're going to keep the pressure on, and we want to see them commit to meeting their deadline," he said yesterday.
About 400 people who have lived under a boil-water advisory for nearly a decade, will soon be able drink the water coming out of their kitchen faucet. The City of Kenora and Wauzhushk Onigum First Nation, which borders Kenora on its eastern boundary, first started to formally negotiate in 2018 how to bring clean water to the neighbouring First Nation.
SHOAL LAKE, ONT. — A joint venture (JV) involving Shoal Lake 40 Contractors LP and Sigfusson Northern Ltd. has been named the winning bidder in a competition to earn the right to construct a new water and wastewater system for Shoal Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario. Indigenous Services Canada is contributing $33 million for the project, which includes construction of a water treatment plant, reservoir, raw water intake structure and lift station as well as the installation of watermain connections and fire hydrants, stated a Sept. 6 release.
The federal government has announced $7.2M in funding to connect Wauzhushk Onigum to the City of Kenora's water system. The announcement was long-awaited, with part of the community just south of Kenora, Ont., on a boil-water advisory since 2012. Another portion of Wauzhushk Onigum had its water treatment facility rebuilt in 2017. MP Bob Nault made the announcement on behalf of Jane Philpott, the Minister of Indigenous Services.
