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.
Cambridge council is set to consider a motion that could see public water fountains returned to the city’s downtown. The motion, tabled by Ward 7 councillor Scott Hamilton, is on the agenda for Tuesday’s council meeting. The argument made is, while Canada is home to around 20 per cent of the world’s freshwater reserves, downtown Cambridge is a dry spot when it comes to readily accessible drinking water.
After a late May heat wave when only 60 per cent of Toronto's public water fountains were operational, Mayor John Tory says he plans to introduce a council motion next week to see park amenities up and running sooner after winter. Tory said in a news release his motion will make sure "existing seasonal facilities are accessible as soon as possible to park users following the winter." But why aren't all these amenities operational now?
Regina City Council has successfully passed a motion to develop a water utility rebate program and a high-efficiency water retrofits program for low-income senior citizens and people living with disabilities. The purpose of the programs is to improve property tax and water utility affordability for low-income households with senior citizens and low-income households with people living with disabilities.
Melfort council has passed a motion to allow the city to borrow $4 million for water line replacements this summer. This isn’t the first public conversation about the borrowing with it being a topic of discussion when council deliberated the 2022 budget in January. The city loses about 12 to 15 per cent of its water supply due to breaks annually. Adam Homes, Melfort’s city manager, called the $4 million loan a start to alleviating the issue.
Calgary will hold yet another plebiscite on whether to restore fluoride to the city's drinking water this fall. Council voted 10-4 in favour of allowing the electors to decide the issue on Monday. It will be put to the public during the 2021 municipal election in October. Council chose to stop adding fluoride to its water supply in 2011, against the opinion of Calgarians who had voted in favour of fluoridation in 1998 and 1989 plebiscites. The city has held plebiscites on the issue dating back to the 1950s.
