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

emergency response

Health Department’s 3rd-party review of water crisis uncertain

Health Department’s 3rd-party review of water crisis uncertain

The CGS review pegs the start of the emergency at Oct. 12, 2021. It does not concern itself with the City of Iqaluit’s response to the initial reports of fuel-tainted water. DPRA reached out to 35 people to take part in the review. Nineteen responded. Of 13 current and former city officials who were asked to participate, five took part. The report does not identify who did or did not participate. It describes broken equipment and disagreements between the city and GN leading to delays in handling the crisis.

Province waited a month to declare emergency response to northern Alberta oilsands releases: document

Province waited a month to declare emergency response to northern Alberta oilsands releases: document

The Alberta government waited a month before calling an emergency response to one of the biggest releases of oilsands tailings in the province's history, a leaked document shows. The document, obtained by The Canadian Press, shows the province didn't initiate an emergency response until after First Nations chiefs in the area went public about how they were informed of the releases from Imperial Oil's Kearl mine, about 70 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, Alta.

First of 2 reviews into Iqaluit’s water crisis has begun

First of 2 reviews into Iqaluit’s water crisis has begun

A third-party review into the emergency response to Iqaluit’s 2021 water crisis has started. It’s one of two reviews expected to stem from the fuel crisis that led to a public order not to consume Iqaluit’s water for a two-month period between October and December 2021. The Department of Community and Government Services has contracted consultation firm DPRA Canada Inc. to conduct the review. DPRA began its work in mid-December, according to the department.

No timeline for Iqaluit water crisis review, but minister commits to public release

No timeline for Iqaluit water crisis review, but minister commits to public release

Nunavut's health minister says one of the primary goals of a third-party review of the Iqaluit water crisis is to restore the public's confidence in the government. In an interview with CBC News, John Main committed to releasing as much information to the public as possible when the review is complete — although there's still no timeline for when such a review will even begin.

B.C. flood update: Highway 1 fully re-opens | WorkSafeBC warns flood contractors to watch out for asbestos | Evacuation order lifted for Abbotsford's central Sumas Prairie

B.C. flood update: Highway 1 fully re-opens | WorkSafeBC warns flood contractors to watch out for asbestos | Evacuation order lifted for Abbotsford's central Sumas Prairie

A series of atmospheric rivers hit southern B.C. in November, causing evacuations, widespread flooding and mudslides. Watch this file for updates with the latest on the recovery effort. Highway 1 has been fully reopened between Abbotsford and Hope, said the transportation ministry Tuesday. WorkSafeBC is reminding employers and contractors to watch out for hazardous materials during post-flood recovery.

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