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.
Residential water and sewer bills must increase each of the next four years to keep pace with rising cost pressures. A staff report going to council’s Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC) recommends water rates rise 2.5 per cent next year — and anticipate similar increases each of the following three years.
Ottawa’s construction and development industries will likely be affected by changes to the city’s drinking water licence that come into effect with province-wide changes on Monday. The changes may also affect traffic because water mains will take longer to connect in the right of way, Kevin Wylie, the city’s general manager of public works and environmental services, wrote in a memo to city council.
