Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

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.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Kingston

New course dunks students in Lake Ontario

New course dunks students in Lake Ontario

A new course at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., is offering students an opportunity to immerse themselves in Lake Ontario, both figuratively and literally. "A lot of Queen's students come to Kingston, spend four years here, and they really don't know anything about the lake," said David McDonald, a professor in the university's department of global development studies. He created the course in part to raise awareness among students about the long history of community effort that has contributed to creating the public space along the city's waterfront.

Kingston residents asked to stop dumping grease down the drain

Kingston residents asked to stop dumping grease down the drain

Utilities Kingston has launched a new video campaign reminding residents and restaurants to stop dumping cooking grease down the drain. The YouTube video shows a utility worker wading through murky, knee-deep water to clear a sewage blockage inside a sewage pumping station. "It's toilet waters and solids, anything going down someone's kitchen sink or coming out of someone's washing machine," said Heather Roberts, director of waste and water services for Utilities Kingston, describing the water in the video.

Diving for debris: Kingston divers pull garbage out of Lake Ontario on day of cleanup, awareness

Diving for debris: Kingston divers pull garbage out of Lake Ontario on day of cleanup, awareness

Pulling a large truck tire from the water, volunteer Derek Evans says he is not sure how long it has been at the bottom of Lake Ontario. It’s filled with zebra mussels and mud, but the rubber has the potential to be a serious issue. "This is at least 50 pounds," Evans says. "It definitely would be a lot of damage to the fish and the wildlife in the water." Getting this tire, and other garbage, is part of a massive project called, 'Kingston Waters Clean Up.' More than 70 divers, kayakers and shorelines volunteers are bagging up garbage to keep it out of the water and drawing awareness to the issue, explains organizer Guillaume Courcy.

A landfill contaminated this couple's water and forced them to sell their home of 43 years

A landfill contaminated this couple's water and forced them to sell their home of 43 years

Now the Haughians say they're living a "nightmare" where the landfill has contaminated the water, forcing them to sell the home to the township. Mayor Arie Hoogenboom said the couple might have to leave once the sale is complete because it is a "liability" to the township if they stay and puts their health and safety at risk. The Haughians argue they're fine where they are, citing a filtration system and bottled water provided by the township. If they have to leave, they at least want to have a say on when.

Tanker hauling beef fat falls into Kingston, Ont. area lake

Tanker hauling beef fat falls into Kingston, Ont. area lake

Residents were seen checking out the damage on Buck Lake early Thursday morning, the day after a tanker truck hauling edible beef fat rolled into the body of water. The truck was driving on Perth Road near Hilltop Lane Wednesday when it fell into the western basin of Buck Lake in South Frontenac Township, Ont. The Ministry of Environment assessed the damage that same day, along with any possible environmental concerns.

Volunteer divers clear trash from Kingston, Ont., water

Volunteer divers clear trash from Kingston, Ont., water

On a beautiful and sunny Sunday in Kingston, Ont., with many people enjoying the sun, a group of local divers strapped on their gear and hit the water in the name of sustainability. At Gord Downie Pier the divers convened toting along their gear in preparation for a trash dive for Sustainable Kingston’s “Underwater Pitch-IN” event. It was the first such event organized by Sustainable Kingston, but the second dive at this location this summer.

Kingston, Ont. one of Canada’s top cities for reusable water bottles

Kingston, Ont. one of Canada’s top cities for reusable water bottles

Residents in Kingston, Ont. are enjoying reusable water bottles more than almost any other city in Canada, new numbers show. The Statistics Canada Households and the Environment Survey released on Monday finds 95 per cent of households in Kingston use reusable water bottles, the second highest in the country. Lethbridge, Alta. leads the way in using reusable water bottles in Canada, with 97 per cant of households having at least one person using their own water bottle. St. Catharines-Niagara and Peterborough had the lowest use of reusable water bottle usage, at 85 and 84 per cent respectively.

St. Lawrence College, Queen’s partner with water treatment firm

St. Lawrence College, Queen’s partner with water treatment firm

Two post-secondary institutions in Kingston, Ont., have partnered to work on a research project. St. Lawrence College and Queen’s University will work with Purafy Clean Technologies Inc., also of Kingston, to test the efficacy of the company’s water treatment system. The system has been installed at Kate’s Rest Foundation in Prince Edward County and will tell researchers about water and energy savings.

After 14 years, boil water advisory lifted for most in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory

After 14 years, boil water advisory lifted for most in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory

For the past 14 years, Andrew Brant and many others on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory have had to haul all their water to their homes one jug at a time. His arms, and those of most fellow residents, will get a well-deserved break as the southeastern Ontario First Nation west of Kingston lifted five long-term water advisories on March 28 as they expanded connections to a new water treatment plant. The advisories had been in place since 2008.

How climate change played a role in the B.C. floods

How climate change played a role in the B.C. floods

Climate change, wildfires, and towns being built on former lakes played major roles in the flooding across British Columbia, says a climate researcher at Queen’s University. “We've really grossly underestimated what needs to be done to mitigate the flooding that is going to occur in the future,” Edward Struzik, a fellow at Queen’s Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy in Kingston, Ont., told CTVNews.ca during a video interview on Tuesday. He urged engineers to team up with climate scientists and meteorologists to rethink infrastructure, such as bridges, railways, and roads, with climate change in mind.

Indigenous walkers protest poor water

Indigenous walkers protest poor water

Ten Indigenous men and women walked from Kingston to Parliament Hill with a copper pail in hand as part of an annual water walk. “Mr. Trudeau said he’d give all of our people fresh water, clean water on our territories,” said Lisa Cadue, who organized the walk. Cadue is from Tyendinaga and says she still doesn’t have clean water. “We’ve been on a boil water advisory for 33 years,” she said. Cadue has been participating in the water walks for at least 10 years, but Indigenous peoples have been doing these walks all across Canada for clean water before her.

Low water warning issued for Napanee, Belleville regions

Low water warning issued for Napanee, Belleville regions

Residents of the regions around Belleville, Napanee, Madoc and north of Kingston, Ont., are being asked to conserve water after a dry spell resulted in low water levels. Quinte Conservation has declared a "Level 2 Low Water Condition" for the Moira, Napanee and Salmon watersheds. That means wells have water levels below normal for this time of year, and with warm temperatures and little rain in the forecast, levels could drop further, leading to serious water supply issue in the region.

Sewage flows into river after pipe breaks in Kingston

Sewage flows into river after pipe breaks in Kingston

Some people in Kingston, Ont., were asked to conserve water after a pipe broke Thursday at the River Street Pumping Station, flooding it with sewage. It's expected to be back to normal Friday morning. Utilities Kingston said residents should also take steps to protect their basements from flooding. "We are appealing to the public to conserve water and reduce sewer use to help reduce overflows and protect the environment," said president and CEO of Utilities Kingston president and CEO Jim Keech. Keech said Thursday afternoon they still didn't know what caused the pipe to break. 

Kingston city councillor concerned about Bill 66, open-for-business bylaws

Kingston city councillor concerned about Bill 66, open-for-business bylaws

The proposed law would allow municipalities, with the approval of the minister, to sidestep environmental laws, such as drinking water source protection. Doherty thinks the bill would also reduce transparency in government by letting councils get rid of public consultation and eliminating the public’s right to appeal municipal decisions.

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