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

Lac Seul

As flood waters recede, northwestern Ontario communities turn attention to cleanup, mitigation

As flood waters recede, northwestern Ontario communities turn attention to cleanup, mitigation

As flood waters in the area recede, the northwestern Ontario municipality of Sioux Lookout is now shifting its focus to cleaning up, and preparing for the future. "Some people have dumpsters parked in front of their homes, and they're ripping out insulation and drywall for the two or three feet that were soaked in water," explained Sioux Lookout Mayor Doug Lawrance. "Along the shore, there's all manner of debris," he said. "From tires that might have been incorporated into the lakeside retaining walls to wood that comes from docks to flagpoles, Styrofoam, life jackets."

Lake levels in northwestern Ontario could peak in coming days, control board says

Lake levels in northwestern Ontario could peak in coming days, control board says

Many municipalities in northwestern Ontario have been struggling with flooding for weeks, but some good news may be on the horizon. That is, if the weather cooperates. "Fortunately, June hasn't been the same as the record precipitation we saw in April and May across the region," said Matt DeWolfe, executive engineer with the Lake of the Woods Control Board, which regulates water levels on Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul.

Decreasing water levels in Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul

Decreasing water levels in Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul

Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul have been hit hard this year with decreasing water levels. The current level of the Lake of the Woods is 322.75 m (1058.9 ft), which is equal to a 30th percentile (per cent of distribution that is equal to or below it) which is considered normal for this time of the year. This past week the lake water level has fallen by 1cm (½ in), and is still expected to drop further by 1 to 3 cm ( 1 in) over the next week.

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