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.
In Whistler, this investment will support the construction of a new water treatment plant in the south. It will also enable the replacement of an existing well pump, the decommissioning of one well and two chlorine dosing systems, and the construction of approximately 600 metres of new water main. This work will ensure wastewater is properly treated and improve the connection with the Whistler Main system.
Through this investment, the Town of Kentville will install new water distribution pipes, sanitary sewer collection pipes and a stormwater management system as well as replace an existing water tank and treatment plant under the future Donald E. Hiltz Connector Road, which will connect the Kentville Business Park to Prospect Avenue. This investment will increase capacity to treat and manage wastewater and stormwater while opening up new land for to build housing in Kentville.
Today, Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, the Honourable Kim Masland, Minister of Public Works, and Her Worship Darlene Norman, Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality, announced more than $2.6 million in joint funding for water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades in the Region of Queens Municipality. Funding will go towards upgrading and replacing water, sanitary, and storm sewer lines and decommissioning the existing combined sewer outfall in the Waterloo East sewershed boundary. The project will also include a new wastewater pumping station, forcemain, and a new storm sewer outfall. The stormwater system will be designed to withstand 100-year storm water levels.
Today, Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener—Conestoga, and His Worship Gregg Davidson, Mayor of the Township of Mapleton, announced over $5 million in joint funding towards the design and construction of a new pumping station to replace the Drayton Sewage Pumping Station. The project will also consist of installing new sanitary system connections, called forcemains, to the existing wastewater collection system, and constructing an overflow storage facility. These upgrades will allow the system to accommodate higher volumes of water during storms and prevent sewage discharges.
Today, Kody Blois, Member of Parliament for Kings‒Hants; the Honourable Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Cumberland South, and His Worship Murray Scott, Mayor of the Municipality of the County of Cumberland, announced more than $6.4 million in joint funding to improve the County’s water and wastewater infrastructure.
Today, Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, and His Worship Larry Johannson, Mayor of the City of Selkirk, announced a federal investment of $5,920,000 to build infrastructure that will help prevent flooding in Selkirk. The new Storm Water Management Capacity Building Program consists of three projects that will protect homes, businesses, roads, and essential infrastructure in Selkirk. The construction of a west end storm retention pond in the new development planned west of Annie Street and south of Manitoba Avenue will serve to capture storm water to reduce the risk of overland flooding during heavy rainstorms and snowmelt runoff each spring.
Today, Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque; the Honourable Dennis King, Premier of Prince Edward Island, and His Worship Rowan Caseley, Mayor of the Town of Kensington, announced $4.2 million in joint funding for two infrastructure projects in Kensington. With this funding, Islanders will benefit from several upgrades to Kensington's Credit Union Centre (CUC), which include installing a 100kw solar panel system, replacing the ice plant, installing new LED lights over the ice surface, and resurfacing the parking lot. These upgrades will ensure the CUC operates more efficiently, providing Kensington and surrounding communities with a safer, greener, more comfortable facility for sports and activities.
Today, Jenica Atwin, Member of Parliament for Fredericton, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, and Gabriel Atwin, Chief of Kingsclear First Nation, announced federal funding for further development of the Southside Subdivision in Kingsclear First Nation. This funding will allow for Phase 5 of the Southside Subdivision to move forward. It will involve clearing a wooded area to continue the construction of Muwin Crescent and extending the existing municipal water, sanitary sewer, and roadway for the development of an additional 28 building lots. Once complete, this project will provide residents access to both reliable water and wastewater infrastructure and support further residential development in the community.
A private member’s bill tabled on Tuesday seeks to draw attention to what one Member of Parliament says are insufficient environmental protections for Canada’s lakes and rivers. On Dec. 14, NDP MP Richard Cannings introduced Bill C-214, which would amend the Canadian Navigable Waters Act. The bill aims to add more than a dozen lakes, rivers and creeks in his B.C. riding of South Okanagan-West Kootenay to the law’s list of protected waters in an attempt to regain safeguards that were lost in the Harper-era rollback of environmental protections and never fully reinstated under the current Liberal government.
Canadians want clean air and clean water for their children and grandchildren. When companies pollute our natural environment, they pay the price, and the Government of Canada ensures that environmental good follows environmental harm by reinvesting those fines in projects that will benefit our environment. Today, Kate Young, Member of Parliament for London West, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced that the Government of Canada is investing $5.9 million from environmental fines into Let's Talk Science. With this funding, Let's Talk Science will engage over 600,000 youth across Canada in climate science awareness and action through regional events, action projects, hands-on activities and a suite of digital resources, including career information.
The NDP MPP for the region with the longest-running boil water advisories of any First Nations in Canada is demanding the Ontario government become part of the solution. Sol Mamakwa, who represents the riding of Kiiwetinoong in northwestern Ontario, said the provincial government could do more to help alleviate the suffering of communities on long-term drinking water advisories.
Two First Nation in northwestern are getting funding from both levels of government to improve drinking water in their communities. The federal government is giving $3.7 million in funding to Pays Plat First Nation and Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, formerly known as the Ojibways of Pic River. The money will also be used for construction of a new water treatment plant for Biigtigong Nishnaabeg. The province also announced they were contributing $908,443 to the project through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada plan.
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.
ST GEORGE'S, NL, July 16, 2020 /CNW/ - The health and well-being of Canadians are the top priorities of the governments of Canada, and Newfoundland and Labrador. But the COVID-19 pandemic has affected more than our personal health. It is having a profound effect on the economy. That is why governments have been taking decisive action to support families, businesses and communities, and continue to look ahead to see what more can be done. Strategic investments in creating safe park spaces and a reliable water supply will play a key role in ensuring Newfoundland residents have modern facilities to support a healthy community.
Help could be on the way to update the North End Sewage Treatment Plant and fight pollution in Lake Winnipeg. The Lake Winnipeg Foundation, an environmental non-governmental organization, said the city is the single largest contributor of phosphorus in the lake, at around five per cent. Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid, parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment and climate change, told 680 CJOB the federal government is willing to do its part to tackle the problem, but the North End plant only serves as a starting point.
