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.
Shukin said power lines "can only carry a certain amount of power" and the IESO giving the green light on the turbines means the lines had room to transmit more power. He said Capital Power has done studies on "noise, air quality, storm-water management, natural environment, heritage, and socio-economic factors." Shukin said the company is "committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2045" and the turbines, which can be partially powered by hydrogen, support that objective.
One of the first actions of our 2022-2026 city council was to toast Sault Ste. Marie's bid to become the home of the new Canada Water Agency. Councillors gave unanimous support Monday night to a resolution from Ward 5 Coun. Corey Gardi and Ward 2's Luke Dufour, confirming that the Sault is still the "superior" choice for the new agency, intended to work with provinces, territories, Indigenous communities, local authorities, scientists, and others to keep Canada's fresh water safe, clean, and well-managed. "We're in the process of arranging for a couple of meetings with members of the federal government," Gardi said. "The task force has really stepped up its work over the course of the last couple of weeks." "It seems that the decision is imminent," Gardi said.
City of London bureaucrats unveiled a sweeping climate emergency action plan to the city's media Wednesday that pledges to all but eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in the city by the year 2050. The 30-year plan gives city council recommendations on how the community can bring itself in line with the worldwide effort to reduce green house gas emissions in order to hold global temperatures below two degrees above pre-industrial levels.
Mayor Bill Mauro is making a case for Thunder Bay to host a new federal agency designed to put greater focus on protecting and managing Canada’s water resources. Local leaders say Thunder Bay could be a natural fit for the Canada Water Agency, and tout potential economic benefits for the city. There are no clear answers yet, however, on when or how the government will select a home for the organization – and the city will face competition. This week, Mauro advised city council he intended to throw the city’s hat in the ring, saying he had reached out to local MPs for their support. Both said they’ll be happy to comply.
Kelowna council has given the nod to replace a transformer at the Trade Waste Treatment Facility at Ethel Street and Weddell Place. A staff report indicates it has exceeded its life span and is showing signs of imminent failure. It provides wastewater and pre-treatment for the fruit and wine effluent from SunRype and Andrew Peller Ltd. The facility is owned and operated on behalf of the two companies. Council ok’d that the 2022 Financial Plan be amended to include $400,000 for the replacement. With $100,000 coming from the Wastewater Utility and $300,000 from SunRype and Andrew Peller Ltd.
Work continues to repair and upgrade Iqaluit's water treatment plant but the do-not-consume order remains in place for now. Earlier Monday, the government of Nunavut issued a reminder to Iqaluit residents not to use their tap water for drinking or cooking, following the discovery of fuel in the city's water system in October. The majority of the contamination was in the north tank, one of two tanks in the water plant.
Calgary will reintroduce fluoride to its tap water after city council voted overwhelmingly in favour of the change Monday. The vote wasn't close, as 13 members of council voted in favour. Two councillors voted against the motion to reinstate fluoride: Andre Chabot of Ward 10 and Dan McLean of Ward 13. Fluoride was removed following a council decision in 2011. However, Calgarians voted 61.61 per cent in favour of resuming fluoridation in last month's civic election. There was majority support for the move in all 14 of the city's wards.
In the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, a public health debate rages. It’s not about vaccines, masks or where people can smoke, though — it’s about fluoride. It’s in our toothpaste and mouthwash, and a common word around dental offices. But in Calgary, it holds a spot in the public consciousness due to decades of advocates on both sides slogging through six plebiscites on whether the city should put fluoride — a mineral found in rocks and dirt — into the water supply to fight tooth decay.
The mood at Cornwall city council was somber during a special meeting on Monday evening. Council received two presentations — by EVB Engineering and Jacobs Engineering Group —regarding the environmental assessment study associated with the development of a second raw water intake for Cornwall’s municipal water system. Currently, the city’s only source of water is from a 65-year-old underwater intake to the west of the Moses-Saunders Dam. From there, the water is gravity-fed from Riverdale all the way to the water purification plant at 861 Second St. W.
Cornwall City Council received a report from EVB Engineering at a special meeting on Monday, Nov. 1 about a potential vulnerability to the city’s water supply and solutions on how to address the problem. The water received at the City of Cornwall’s Water Purification Plant (WPP), located on Second St. W., is taken from the St. Lawrence River through an intake pipe located west of the R.H. Saunders Dam in the city’s west end. That pipe is roughly 65-years-old and is reaching the end of its service life. Even if it were not so old, the fact that the water plant has only one intake pipe was identified as a vulnerability in the system.
Iqaluit's city council voted unanimously Tuesday to provide a water rebate for residents. Nearly 8,000 residents were ordered not to drink the tap water when fuel was discovered in one of the city's two water tanks at its water treatment plant earlier this month. The 100 per cent rebate was proposed by Mayor Kenny Bell. It will cost the city over $965,000 in revenue for the month of October.
During an emergency city council meeting on Tuesday, Iqaluit city council extended the local state of emergency in a unanimous vote. A state of emergency was declared on Oct. 12 after city staff found evidence of fuel contamination in the city's treated water supply. Residents were the water as it is unsafe to drink, even if filtered or boiled. During Tuesday's meeting, Coun. Kyle Sheppard told residents there is enough safe drinking water for all.
he plebiscite question for Calgarians was: Are you in favour of reintroducing fluoridation of the municipal water supply? The Yes side took an early lead and kept winning. By the time all polls reported, the Yes side had 62 per cent of the vote. The No side had 38 per cent. It's an issue Calgary residents voted on in 1998 and 1989, when they voted Yes to fluoride. Calgary's city council chose to stop adding fluoride to the city's water supply in 2011.
Sault Ste. Marie City Council held a vote approving the establishment of the Canada Water Agency Task Force on June 28. This organization is building a pitch to the federal government to have the anticipated country-wide agency located in the Sault. The task force is led by Natural Environment Coordinator Sault College Ryan Namespetra. One year ago, the federal government announced its plans to establish an agency to serve as a central hub for the management of water in Canada. This includes research, dealing with the effects of climate change, water scarcity, Indigenous/government relations and following international law.
In an effort to remove financial barriers that prevent some people from getting lead water pipes replaced, the City of Greater Sudbury is poised to look at opportunities to help get the lead out. Earlier this week, the city’s operations committee resolved to request a business case from city staff for the creation of a subsidy and loan program to replace private-side lead pipes. Their unanimous approval means it’s likely city council will ratify the decision at an upcoming meeting and a business case will be drafted for future consideration. The proposed program would include a grant of up to $3,000, an interest-free loan of up to $10,000 to be paid back over 10 years and provisions for water filters for homes built in 1960 and prior with confirmed lead water service.
The City of Cornwall is set to implement a water-meter program, which will come into effect in 2025. Cornwall city council narrowly voted 5-4 in favour of approving the implementation of the program during a special meeting on Tuesday. Couns. Elaine MacDonald, Justin Towndale, Carilyne Hébert, Dean Hollingsworth and Mayor Glen Grant voted in favour, whereas Couns. Syd Gardiner, Claude McIntosh, Eric Bergeron and Denis Carr voted against it. Couns. Todd Bennett and Maurice Dupelle were absent from the meeting.
Nine city councillors and Regina's mayor are proposing fluoride be added to the city's drinking water. Councillors Cheryl Stadnichuk, Bob Hawkins, Andrew Stevens, Lori Bresciani, John Findura, Dan LeBlanc, Terina Shaw, Shanon Zachidniak and Jason Mancinelli, along with Mayor Sandra Masters, all signed the motion to introduce fluoride. The motion said there's strong scientific evidence to show the benefits of water fluoridation, and that cavity reduction is particularly important if the young are to avoid traumatic dental work and the elderly are to avoid dental appliances that are costly and difficult to manage.
Sarnia is going to spend a lot of money replacing water and sewer assets over the next 60 years, according to the latest projections from city staff. Building off a recent storm sewer infrastructure report that predicts hundreds of millions of dollars in replacement expenses cumulatively until around 2080, the story is about the same for water pipes and sewer system replacement costs, city officials recently reported to council.
Regina city council is once again set to discuss adding fluoride to the city's drinking water. It has been an ongoing topic in the city and was last formally discussed in 2016. On Wednesday, Councillors Bob Hawkins, Cheryl Stadnichuk, Andrew Stevens, Lori Bresciani, John Findura, Dan LeBlanc, Terina Shaw, Shannon Zachidniak, Jason Mancinelli and Mayor Sandra Masters are going to bring forward a notice of motion about adding fluoride to the water. This gives the city notice that this will be discussed and debated at the next city council meeting on August 11.
Village of Pemberton council received its 2020 Drinking Water System annual report during its regular meeting on Tuesday, June 15. While the summary of water quality results for the most part showed levels of chemicals, mercury, and “elements by atomic spectroscopy” well within required limits, there was a concern about manganese levels. On Feb. 26, 2020 at Well No. 2 manganese levels were recorded at 78.8 ug/L and, on the same day at Well No. 3, they were recorded at 20.1 ug/L. Both were flagged on the report as exceeding “1 criteria policy/ level.”
