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.
Thorold councillors unanimously supported writing a letter to their Niagara Region counterparts to show they’re ready to resume water testing in the city. “In 2002, the United Nations stated that water is a human right, clean water is a human right, and we’re in 2021 and this is an issue now in Thorold,” said Thorold councillor Carmen DeRose. At the meeting on May 4, DeRose brought the issue to the council’s attention after residents had reached out to him.
