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.
According to Zurn Canada, clean water shortages are a global crisis, and the average Canadian uses approximately 250 litres of water per day through flushing toilets, showering, drinking and cleaning, but according to a 2018 study, this makes up less than 15 per cent of Canada’s water usage; industrial properties and public facility plumbing accounts for more of the used water.