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.
After a late May heat wave when only 60 per cent of Toronto's public water fountains were operational, Mayor John Tory says he plans to introduce a council motion next week to see park amenities up and running sooner after winter. Tory said in a news release his motion will make sure "existing seasonal facilities are accessible as soon as possible to park users following the winter." But why aren't all these amenities operational now?
Despite an early start to summer weather, the City of Toronto revealed it has some 245 water fountains that aren't turned on, something an urban planning advocate says spells a bigger problem for those who rely on public amenities. Mayor John Tory revealed Tuesday only 60 per cent of the city's 700 public water fountains were up and running during recent record-breaking heat spells.
Toronto’s homeless are getting some Labatt Breweries of Canada products. But it’s not beer — it’s canned drinking water. Make that 223,000 cans of drinking water in six truckloads to help the city in its COVID-19 relief efforts. The canned water will go to the Toronto Drop-In Network and its Streets to Home Program. Labatt says most daytime drop-in providers are now offering takeout meals so there is a high demand for single-use, portable drinks.
City officials have launched Toronto's largest and most significant storm water management program — the Don River and Central Waterfront and Connected Project — which will halt the flow of sewage into Lake Ontario and clean up waterways. The first phase of the five-phase project — the Coxwell Bypass Tunnel — will see a 10.5 kilometre long and 6.3 metre wide tunnel built at a cost of $400 million. The overall project is expected to cost $3 billion.
