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

damage

Former B.C. mining exec fined $30K for environmental violations — but First Nation says damage costs far more

Former B.C. mining exec fined $30K for environmental violations — but First Nation says damage costs far more

The former executive of a now-bankrupt mining company has been fined nearly $30,000 for environmental violations dating back to 2015 — an amount that has led to competing appeals from both sides. The charges follow a July 7 ruling from B.C. provincial court judge David Patterson, who said Benjamin Mossman was "actively or passively involved" in releasing excess zinc and other substances into woods and wetlands on Banks Island in Gitxaała First Nation territory. He was fined $29,994, according to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, which led the joint investigation into the allegations in the initial stages. 

Wheatley water treatment plant could take a year or more to fix after fire

Wheatley water treatment plant could take a year or more to fix after fire

Wheatley's water treatment plant might not to be return to normal operations for a year or more, but a boil-water advisory isn't expected to last that long, officials said Wednesday. The communities of Wheatley and Tilbury in Chatham-Kent have been under a boil-water advisory for a week after fire caused damage to the water treatment facility.

B.C. drought brings increased flood risks, far-reaching damage, experts warn

B.C. drought brings increased flood risks, far-reaching damage, experts warn

"We have groundwater levels dropping dramatically. We have river levels that are very, very low," said Tom Pypker, chair of the department of natural resource sciences at Thompson Rivers University. "This has implications for farmers who need to extract water to irrigate their crops. This has implications for cities that need to draw water out of these surface water bodies to supply their population."

Water treatment plant damages to cost millions

Water treatment plant damages to cost millions

The City of Winnipeg is flushing millions of dollars in repair costs after a man trashed the city's water treatment plant earlier this week. It happened around 2:30 a.m. Sunday in the R.M. of Springfield. RCMP caught a man who broke into the vehicle yard and began driving an excavator around.

Extreme weather costs are pushing rural Ontario towns to the financial brink

Extreme weather costs are pushing rural Ontario towns to the financial brink

The mayor of Glencoe, Ont., says the cost of cleaning up and repairing the damage from Wednesday's deadly rainstorm has pushed his rural community to ask the province for financial relief. Environment Canada said Wednesday the town received 135 millimetres of rain during a downpour that turned driveways into ponds, roads into streams and filled basements with sewage.

Deluge of damage claims pouring in after flash floods cause sewage 'mayhem'

Deluge of damage claims pouring in after flash floods cause sewage 'mayhem'

Ottawa restoration companies are inundated with calls from households beset by sewage backup from Thursday's flash floods, which caused "catastrophic" damage to some homes. Deven Raval, owner of PuroClean, called it "mayhem." He said his company normally deals with five or so calls per day. But this has been different. "My phone's going crazy," he said, as rings repeatedly interrupted an interview. He'd already fielded about 70 calls as of Friday morning. He said four of every five relate to sewage.

Edmundston residents dealing with damage in aftermath of storm, flooding

Edmundston residents dealing with damage in aftermath of storm, flooding

City officials have said more than 100 residences were damaged because of the storm. Gallant said this detour affects a lot of people in the area. It's a major roadway leading into the city's core. "At least temporarily for now. A lot of people come across here," said Gallant. However, despite the inconvenience, Gallant said he'll do a special garbage collection Tuesday for people affected by flooding.

More than 100 Edmundston households report damage following torrential rains

More than 100 Edmundston households report damage following torrential rains

Julie Gagnon and Hugo Lajoie leaned on the barrier that separates them from their home in Edmundston, N.B. In front of them, a massive hole created by a landslide threatened to swallow up their shed and their house. Thursday's torrential rains forced them from almost all their belongings in the area of Verret Street. They have also been told their insurance does not cover this type of disaster. "I contacted our insurance company for a claim and they rejected it because these damages were not in my contract," Gagnon told Radio-Canada on Saturday while fighting back tears. "I called two or three times and there was nothing to be done. We pay for insurance and we have no help."

After the flood: Alberta communities assessing damage as water levels recede

After the flood: Alberta communities assessing damage as water levels recede

West-central Alberta communities are assessing damage and making repairs as flood waters recede. In the town of Edson, 100 kilometres west of Edmonton, a state of local emergency ended Monday after a tumultuous two weeks of fire and flood.

Alberta irrigation district faces lack of water, again

Alberta irrigation district faces lack of water, again

The Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District (LNID), is facing hurdles at getting water to its users across the district for the second year in a row. The LNID, which serves approximately 200,000 acres of irrigated cropland and provides water for much of Alberta’s “feedlot alley,” the largest concentration of cattle in Canada, has been shut off due to a break at the main canal.

Whiteman’s Creek flood recedes leaving damage in its wake

Whiteman’s Creek flood recedes leaving damage in its wake

While flood water from Whiteman’s Creek on Okanagan Indian Band land, near Vernon, B.C., have receded, the waterway is still running very high and the evacuation order for adjacent homes was expanded overnight. Megan Turcato has more on the damage already done and why the area isn’t out of danger yet.

New report turns to nature to limit Canada's costliest climate impact – flooding

New report turns to nature to limit Canada's costliest climate impact – flooding

The need to limit flood risk in Canada is urgent, with approximately 1.5 million homes, representing 10 per cent of the Canadian residential housing market, in high-risk zones where they are ineligible for flood insurance. A new CSA Group report, authored by the University of Waterloo Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, provides practical guidance for federal, provincial, local, and Indigenous governments to tackle river flooding.

Insurance Bureau of Canada Encourages Residents in Atlantic Canada to Prepare for 2023 Flood Season

Insurance Bureau of Canada Encourages Residents in Atlantic Canada to Prepare for 2023 Flood Season

As the warmer spring weather arrives in Atlantic Canada, rain coupled with snowmelt in parts of the region presents an increased risk of flooding. Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is informing consumers about how they can prepare for the 2023 flood season by protecting themselves and their property from water damage. "As we've seen many times across the Atlantic Canada, flooding can cause extensive damage to your home and property," said Amanda Dean, Vice-President, Atlantic, IBC. "Being prepared for any severe weather event is important for your personal safety and financial security. Part of that includes mitigating any damage to your property when it is safe to do so."

Florida mops up after floods close Fort Lauderdale airport

Florida mops up after floods close Fort Lauderdale airport

The water was rising around her car, and Amanda Valentine thought she was going to die. She had just gotten a warning on her phone about flash flooding, and now it was all around her. “I called my parents like, ‘I'm going to die. Like I'm going to drown. There's no way for me to get out of this car,"' Valentine said. "And they couldn't help me. I called 911, and they told me they couldn't help me."

State of emergency declared as spring melt leads to 'water everywhere' in southwestern Manitoba municipality

State of emergency declared as spring melt leads to 'water everywhere' in southwestern Manitoba municipality

A flash flood led the southwestern Manitoba municipality of Boissevain-Morton to declare a state of emergency Wednesday, a municipal councillor says, as the spring snow melt sent a torrent of water gushing over frozen farm fields and washing out roads. The municipality estimates that at least 70 per cent of roads in the southern part of Boissevain-Morton, which is south of Brandon, were unsafe for travel due to washouts and overland flooding, according to a Wednesday Facebook post.

What are atmospheric rivers?

What are atmospheric rivers?

Atmospheric rivers may sound like a description in a travel blog, but these phenomena cause serious damage. They occur when water evaporates into the air and is carried along by the wind, forming long currents that flow in the sky like rivers flow on land. They can cause severe rains and mountain snow. Atmospheric rivers are partly to blame for the torrential rains in California last week, and another one is expected to hit on Monday.

Vancouver School Board finds temporary classrooms after elementary school's pipes freeze and burst

Vancouver School Board finds temporary classrooms after elementary school's pipes freeze and burst

The Vancouver School Board (VSB) says it has worked to find desks for more than 500 students after flooding at an elementary school put the building out of commission for a number of months. School board staff said water pipes at Sir James Douglas Elementary in South Vancouver froze and burst during the recent cold weather, causing extensive flooding. VSB said staff searched for an alternate location for the school's approximately 525 enrolled students.

Canada invests to make Edmonton more resilient to flood risks

Canada invests to make Edmonton more resilient to flood risks

Today, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, and the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor of the City of Edmonton, announced more than $22 million in federal funding to help to reduce flood risk and damage in Edmonton. The project includes improvements that will help mitigate potential flooding hazards at the city's Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant. Three new backwater prevention outfall gates will prevent river water from flowing back into the wastewater treatment plant during storm events, and a flood barrier along the northern edge of the plant will minimize flooding risks.

House advances giant Texas storm surge project in water bill

House advances giant Texas storm surge project in water bill

Fourteen years after Hurricane Ike ripped through thousands of homes and businesses near Galveston, Texas – but mostly spared the region’s oil refineries and chemical plants – the U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to authorize the most expensive project ever recommended by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to protect against the next raging storm.

In Mainland, N.L., this man's house could soon fall into the sea

In Mainland, N.L., this man's house could soon fall into the sea

Bit by bit, Gordon Oliver's backyard is falling into the ocean. The Mainland, N.L, resident has already moved his fence back twice — three metres each time. His house now sits on the edge of a cliff, a few metres from the water's edge. "It's getting about the time now where I'm going to have to move," said Oliver, who built his house on an otherwise picturesque piece of land 35 years ago. "When we were kids we used to play softball here and you couldn't bat the ball over the bank. You got no problem to do it now."

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