Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

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.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Sioux Lookout

As flood waters recede, northwestern Ontario communities turn attention to cleanup, mitigation

As flood waters recede, northwestern Ontario communities turn attention to cleanup, mitigation

As flood waters in the area recede, the northwestern Ontario municipality of Sioux Lookout is now shifting its focus to cleaning up, and preparing for the future. "Some people have dumpsters parked in front of their homes, and they're ripping out insulation and drywall for the two or three feet that were soaked in water," explained Sioux Lookout Mayor Doug Lawrance. "Along the shore, there's all manner of debris," he said. "From tires that might have been incorporated into the lakeside retaining walls to wood that comes from docks to flagpoles, Styrofoam, life jackets."

Northwestern Health Unit warns of blue-green algae on regional lakes

Northwestern Health Unit warns of blue-green algae on regional lakes

The Northwestern Health Unit is warning people to avoid the water on three lakes in the region due to blue-green algae blooms. One of the blooms is located north of Frog Rapids in Abram Lake, near Sioux Lookout. Water from the area is being tested by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. The second bloom is in the Bonny Bay Road area of Wabigoon Lake, near Dryden. The health unit said another blue-green algae bloom has already been confirmed on the north end of Wabigoon Lake, so water will not be tested.

'Empty promises' slammed

'Empty promises' slammed

Jagmeet Singh is focusing on what he’s calling Justin Trudeau’s empty promises as the New Democratic Party leader travels in northern Ontario to start the last week of campaigning. Singh says, for a government, it’s not what you say that matters, it’s what you do. The NDP leader will later be campaigning in Neskantaga First Nation, which had a boil water advisory issued more than 25 years ago. Trudeau promised in 2015 to lift all drinking water advisories by this March, but his government has since acknowledged it would not meet that goal.

Sioux Lookout warns of low water levels at boat launches

Sioux Lookout warns of low water levels at boat launches

Low water levels could lead boats to collide with underwater hazards, such as rocks, and cause damage to hulls or motors. "This is the first year that we've seen the water levels this low, certainly in recent memory," he said. "Water levels do fluctuate in our lakes from season to season and year to year. But this is certainly, by far, the most significant drop in water levels."

Ontario should stop playing 'jurisdictional ping pong' with First Nations' water crisis, says NDP MPP

Ontario should stop playing 'jurisdictional ping pong' with First Nations' water crisis, says NDP MPP

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.

Follow us