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

lack of access

Making the promised Canada Water Agency a reality

Making the promised Canada Water Agency a reality

Water has been an issue even in a pandemic, with drought, floods and lack of access. A commitment to freshwater management that values water is key. Canada is known around the world for its pristine lakes and vast water resources, but in recent months devastating effects of drought have shown that water, and our dependence on it, is under threat. Even in 2020 – a year dominated by COVID-19 – floods, droughts, melting glaciers and lack of access to drinking water made headline news in Canada. The evidence is clear – we are facing a water-insecure future with our water resources increasingly vulnerable to contamination, urbanization, changing land uses and climate change.

First Nations-led water authority signs agreement with federal government

First Nations-led water authority signs agreement with federal government

Atlantic region First Nations Chiefs and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) have signed a framework agreement on a ground-breaking water utility that will oversee the drinking water and wastewater operations for over half of the First Nations population in the region. The agreement will transfer control and management of water and wastewater services for 15 Mi'kmaw and Wolastoqey communities from ISC to a single First Nations-led organization, and comes with a $2.5 million federal investment to get the water authority started on recruitment, training of staff and other operational costs.

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