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.
Halifax Water hopes at least part of a sewer project can be completed within the next six weeks — even though the timeline is partly why the cost has more than doubled. New pipes are needed along sections of South Park Street and University Avenue to the end of Cathedral Lane. The work was originally supposed to be done in 2020. The wait for funding approval delayed construction until 2021.
On Friday the Pembina Valley Water Co-op received notice that the provincial and federal governments both supported an important funding request. CEO Greg Archibald says this will support a vital first step in upgrading the Letellier Water Treatment Plant, and the whole system. "Obviously because of the growth in Southern Manitoba and our water restrictions, this is really important. It was announced that our project for $9.335 million would be supported with a government grant from Canada at $3.7 million, and a grant from Manitoba for $3.1 million. This is great news."
