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

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Reducing road salt use 'not something that can wait' as Ontario lakes see oxygen depletion, researcher says

Reducing road salt use 'not something that can wait' as Ontario lakes see oxygen depletion, researcher says

The move to reduce the amount of road salt during the winter months can't wait because Ontario's groundwater and lakes are showing "very rapid salinization," researchers at the University of Waterloo say. "We actually use a lot of salt, and salt is a very effective way to keep roads, sidewalks and parking lots free of ice, and that, of course, is important in terms of ensuring the safety of road users and pedestrians," said Philippe Van Cappellen, a professor and researcher at the school, as well as the Canada Excellence Research Chair Laureate in Ecohydrology

How one Canadian firm is using the power of the ocean to desalinate the ocean

How one Canadian firm is using the power of the ocean to desalinate the ocean

But in a groundbreaking mission to mitigate the global water crisis without further contributing to carbon emissions, a Canadian company, Oneka Technologies, is pioneering an innovative approach to desalination. The Quebec-based startup has developed an avant-garde solution that harnesses the boundless energy of the ocean waves to convert saltwater into fresh, drinkable water. Oneka Technologies’ floating desalination units, anchored securely to the ocean floor, utilize a membrane-based system, known as reverse osmosis, to purify seawater. The process is elegantly simple: wave energy is converted into mechanical energy, powering pumps that draw in seawater and push a portion through a semipermeable membrane to filter out the salt. The result is clean, potable water delivered to shore through pipelines, propelled by the very force that generated it: the undulating waves of the sea. “Oneka's technology is 100% mechanically driven," Hunt told the BBC, underscoring the zero-electricity operation of their machines. Such innovation represents a seismic shift towards sustainability in desalination practices. 

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