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.
The Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) warned people to stay away from the Lower Don River after rising water levels near the Don Valley Parkway and Bayview Avenue due to the heavy rainfall. Water levels remain dangerously high throughout the city as Toronto saw two-thirds of a month’s rainfall in 18 hours. Pearson Airport saw 31 mm of rainfall on Monday, breaking the previous daily record for June 12 that was set in 1954.
The emergency department at Sackville Memorial Hospital is "closed unexpectedly" for the weekend because of a water main break, Horizon Health Network says. In a news release issued Saturday, Horizon said the emergency department will remain closed until 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25. Horizon said it will provide an update on the emergency department's reopening on Sunday.
People in several Brampton neighbourhoods are grappling with swamped basements and other property damage Monday, one day after heavy rainfall caused localized flooding — and Environment Canada is warning the Greater Toronto Area could see more of the same Monday night. Prince Sharma was one of dozens of people who called the city about flood damage Sunday night. He told CBC News he was having dinner with his family when the storm hit. He said he heard running water so he went to inspect the basement of his Hardgate Crescent home, located near Wanless and Van Kirk drives.
Environment Canada has issued another weather warning for the South Coast of British Columbia. An atmospheric river event is expected to melt weeks' worth of snow at a rapid rate which could trigger localized flooding. However, weeks worth of built up snow and ice is expected to melt aggressively which could cause washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts. “The rainfall itself you know this would probably show up as being a fairly run-of-the-mill moderate storm event that we’ve seen a half dozen times or more this season,” said Dave Campbell, of the River Forecast Centre. Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads, so drivers are being urged to slow down and drive for the conditions.
