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 province of Manitoba has agreed to forward the City of Winnipeg's application for federal funding on two key projects, the premier and mayor said at a news conference on Wednesday. That includes the second phase of upgrades to Winnipeg's North End sewage treatment plant, which involves the construction of a $552-million facility to process biosolids — a sludgy byproduct of the initial treatment of solid human waste.
Winnipeg’s mayor is urging the province to compromise on its hotly contested demand the city gauge interest for a private-public partnership to operate two key sewage projects. Mayor Brian Bowman warns a delay could wind up sparking higher water and sewer rates. However, the province doesn’t appear interested in the city’s offer, which narrowly won the approval of council’s executive policy committee Tuesday. EPC cast a 4-3 final vote to have a consultant seek out interest in a potential private-public partnership (P3) with the city to design, build and finance two phases of the $1.8-billion north end sewage treatment plant upgrade.
