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.
Ontario's environment ministry
Cleanup of an Etobicoke creek is nearly complete after a spill of toxic sludge into the water from runoff following a massive industrial fire in August, according to Ontario's environment ministry. The sludge that entered Mimico Creek after the Aug. 11 fire at Brenntag Canada, a chemical distribution company, killed fish, birds and mammals. Spill containment berms, however, were still visible on the creek on Tuesday, more than two months after the spill.
A previous statement from the environment ministry stated the frozen ground and efforts by crews "greatly reduced the likelihood of contamination reaching the water table and entering local drinking water wells." However, residents are again raising their concerns after former employees came forward to allege the company dumped wastewater containing fuel into a ditch that runs alongside rail tracks behind the property.
