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.
Spencer Noble knows all about the flooding issues on William St. in Port Stanley, Ont. Whenever there is a large rain, he gets a few feet of water on the street in front of his home. "The water comes right up, hits the steps, and when a car comes by it sends waves onto the front porch," says Noble. “We've played in it, and even brought a canoe across the street to the bar, and boogie boarded in the road."
Cesanek is one of hundreds of residents in the municipality of Central Elgin who are angry over rising water bills. He said that in the 7½ years since he moved to Belmont, Ont., his water bill has risen more than 50 per cent. "Most of our conversations with the neighbours are either about COVID or water, and we're equally annoyed at both." That annoyance is palpable in Port Stanley, where signs sprout from lawns saying "stop the madness" and "no water rate increase."
