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.
Students at McMaster University's downtown residence are hoping a chlorination treatment of the building's water system will help them feel more comfortable to drink their tap water. McMaster said consultants had recommended using chlorine to sanitize the water after it tested positive for total coliforms bacteria. Students had complained of the murkiness of the water, among other issues at the residence.
When the pandemic started, the province was testing the population and updating the number of COVID cases daily. But four years on, testing has stalled and the main way to get a snapshot of the COVID picture is through wastewater. Mark Servos is with the department of Biology in Canada and Research Chair in Water Quality Protection at the University of Waterloo.
Students living in a new downtown McMaster University residence are demanding action from the university in Hamilton after ongoing construction has caused a slew of problems from electrical outages, to a bug infestation, to rashes and gastrointestinal issues from contaminated water. In one instance, the tenants’ group at 10 Bay St. says, a female student exited her shower to find a male construction worker in her kitchen.
Residential water and sewer bills must increase each of the next four years to keep pace with rising cost pressures. A staff report going to council’s Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC) recommends water rates rise 2.5 per cent next year — and anticipate similar increases each of the following three years.
For 10 days every summer, a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people launch their canoes each morning after a Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address and continue on their journey down the Grand River in southern Ontario. The annual Two Row on the Grand is not just any paddling trip — it's an enactment of the Two Row Wampum treaty, an agreement made more than 400 years ago between the Haudenosaunee people and Dutch settlers.
Effective since October 1, 2023, C3 Water Inc. ("C3 Water"), joined CIMA+, one of Canada's largest privately-owned consulting engineering firms. "This acquisition is in line with CIMA+'s growth strategy throughout Canada, with a particular focus on sustainable engineering and Ontario's needs.", said Steeve Fiset, Chief Strategy Officer, CIMA+.
Nestled across the diverse landscapes of Canada lies a series of remarkable lakes, each offering unique natural beauty and boating opportunities. From the tranquil waters of Porters Lake in Nova Scotia to the expansive majesty of Lake of the Woods in Ontario, these lakes beckon boating enthusiasts worldwide. Whether seeking the thrill of speed boating or the tranquility of kayaking, these waters cater to all. Moreover, according to the Canadian government, Canada is home to over an astonishing 2 million lakes. With so many lakes, narrowing it down to the best is impossible. However, this article will explore a handful of the best lakes across Canada, showcasing the diversity of its waters.
Growing up, I was always surrounded by the serene beauty of lakes. From family picnics by the shores of Lake Ontario to my first canoeing experience in the pristine waters of Lake Louise, lakes have been an integral part of my identity. Their vastness, depth, and the life they support have always fascinated me. Today, I invite you on a journey to explore some of the most interesting facts about Canadian lakes, interwoven with personal memories and reflections.
Even though Wheatley, Ont., residents are relieved that a three-week boil water advisory has now been lifted, some like Terry Lobzun say the whole ordeal adds to the mistrust and uncertainty they feel about the future of their community. As of Wednesday evening, the municipality of Chatham-Kent and its public health unit rescinded a boil water advisory for Tilbury and Wheatley. The alert was in place for about 8,500 residents in both communities after a fire broke out at the Wheatley Water Treatment Plant on Sept. 13.
The Detroit River's reputation has become notorious over the decades due to pollution, but local scientists say restoration efforts are working, and they want to see those improvements reflected in the river's environmental status. The Detroit River has served as one of the vital economic links between Detroit and Windsor. In 1987, it was identified as an area of concern under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canadian and American federal governments.
Some residents of a small village in Ontario's cottage country are speaking out against a proposed development that would see farmland turned into a golf course resort and housing. The Kawartha Bay project in Cameron, Ont., located approximately 150 kilometres northeast of Toronto in the City of Kawartha Lakes, is being proposed by Markham-based Flato Developments. It would feature an 18-hole golf course interspersed with 339 seasonal homes, 84 rentals, a clubhouse, restaurant and a refurbished marina.
Ontario may seem to be a water secure region, but new research out of the University of Waterloo challenges the myth of water abundance in the Great Lakes watershed. Using a first-of-its-kind risk analysis, researchers connected water quality, quantity, regulations and public concern to obtain a more comprehensive picture of water security at the local level. The novel approach revealed that at least half of the studied watersheds had a moderate to high potential for risk.
An outbreak of E. coli infections at several Calgary daycares has infected more than 260 people, most of them children. It's not the first major outbreak of the food-borne illness, which is caused by bacteria that live in the feces of animals and is carried to humans through undercooked meat, unpasteurized food or contaminated water. The E. coli variant known as 0157 is often the most virulent and can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, which affects the kidneys and the ability of blood to clot.
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.
A day after resigning as mayor of South Bruce Peninsula, Garry Michi has apologized for his comments about a local water treatment plant and people in the First Nation community in Ontario. "I deeply regret the words I used during a personal conversation and the subsequent impact they have had," said Michi in an email to CBC News.
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.
The mayor of South Bruce Peninsula has resigned after he was caught on tape making racist comments about a nearby First Nation community, the Ontario town announced in a statement Tuesday. Garry Michi was recorded in an audio clip posted Friday by an anonymous individual questioning the federal government's decision to fund a water treatment plant on the Chippewas of the Nawash Unceded First Nation, also known as Cape Croker.
Although most of us would gag at the thought of drinking water that’s been left sitting out for days on end unless we were desperate, the same can’t be said for the scientists involved in an incredible study. In 2013, scientists from the University of Toronto discovered the water over 1.5 miles beneath Earth’s surface, left isolated from the outside world for millennia in Timmins, Ontario, Canada. Most people would probably agree that this isn't a liquid for drinking, and is between 1.5 billion and 2.6 billion years old. But apparently professor Barbara Sherwood Lollar isn't most people. As lead researcher, Lollar tried the water and herself and judging by her reaction, it tasted just as nasty as it sounds.
The mayor of Glencoe, Ont., says the cost of cleaning up and repairing the damage from Wednesday's deadly rainstorm has pushed his rural community to ask the province for financial relief. Environment Canada said Wednesday the town received 135 millimetres of rain during a downpour that turned driveways into ponds, roads into streams and filled basements with sewage.
Cleanup crews are trying to determine how much runoff from an industrial fire in Etobicoke a week ago has made its way into Lake Ontario, the province's environment ministry says. The ministry has said the runoff is affecting two waterways, Mimico Creek and Humber Creek, and containment measures have been in place since August 11 in both creeks. On Friday, it said while measures along Mimico Creek were reinforced Wednesday, Thursday's rain night enabled the spill to move further down Mimico Creek.
