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.
Climate specialists say a major overhaul of infrastructure in communities across Canada is needed to make homes, buildings, roads and rail lines more resilient to extreme weather events, as climate change makes those events more likely. "Infrastructure decisions in Canada are not accounting for a changing climate," said Ryan Ness, research director for adaptation at the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
The federal government and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador have announced $5.4 million in joint funding for seven water and wastewater projects in communities on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador. In Holyrood, new funding will support the installation of a 500,000-gallon water storage tank as well as a new control system and watermains, stated a Jan. 14 release. There will also be watermain and related infrastructure improvements for the towns of Branch, Colliers, Ferryland, Harbour Main-Chapel’s Cove-Lakeview, and St. Mary’s. There will be storm and sewer pipe installation in Ferryland, as well as road upgrades where project work is being completed. As well, the town of Placentia will be served by a lift station and new sewage treatment unit.
