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

declared a state of emergency

Ucluelet First Nation without water, and Tonga tsunami surge probed as possible cause

Ucluelet First Nation without water, and Tonga tsunami surge probed as possible cause

A First Nation on Vancouver Island is grappling with a loss of potable water after something — possibly a tsunami surge — damaged its underwater supply line on Monday. Ucluelet First Nation declared a state of emergency this week, banning the use of water for everything except flushing toilets, after a barge towing a log boom severed the line in the inlet between Ucluelet and the Indigenous community of Hitacu. “It’s challenging but we’re working through it,” said Ucluelet First Nation president Charles McCarthy. “Citizens are being informed about our situation as it progresses.” Right now, a tsunami surge following the violent eruption of an underwater volcano near the Tonga Islands is being investigated as a possible cause.

Yukon family displaced by historic floods back at home in time for Christmas

Yukon family displaced by historic floods back at home in time for Christmas

Florian Lemphers is unpacking his moving boxes at the same time as his Christmas gifts this year. Lemphers, his wife Andrea and their two dogs, canoed out of their front yard in Shallow Bay, Yukon, on July 13, after water from the usually-distant bay breached the berm set up to protect their home. Volunteers came from all over the territory to set up sandbags to try to keep the water at bay — but still, they were forced to leave and stay out for months.

Follow us