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.
Synthetic chemicals called PFASTrusted Source (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are used in a variety of products, including cosmetics, cleaning productsTrusted Source, and nonstick cookware. Because many PFAS do not break down in landfills and can contaminate sources of drinking water for both humans and animals, they are considered harmful to the environmentTrusted Source. Additionally, exposure to PFAS has been linked to various health concerns.
