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

city property

City of Ottawa aims to stop selling bottled water at its facilities

City of Ottawa aims to stop selling bottled water at its facilities

The City of Ottawa has plans to stop selling water in plastic bottles on city property by the end of June. In a memo being presented this week at the community and protective services committee, city staff say they are working with Coca-Cola to replace their bottled water in city vending machines with other Coca-Cola products. Due to contact obligations, it would cost the city $574,000 to simply remove all Coca-Cola products from the machines outright. That's because contract includes a binding minimum value commitment (MVC) that remains in place until 115,000 cases of drinks have been sold.

Thunder Bay City Council approves $1.3 million for loans to help residents remove lead water service pipes

Thunder Bay City Council approves $1.3 million for loans to help residents remove lead water service pipes

Thunder Bay residents can now get interest-free loans from the city to help cover the costs of removing lead water service pipes. Councillors unanimously approved a $1.3-million, interest-free loan program on Monday. The loans are available now and come in five-year terms (except for those who qualify for the city's tax and water rebate programs, who can get 10-year loans).

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