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.
Imperial Oil is still investigating whether produced water that spilled at the Norman Wells, N.W.T. operation in late July has entered the Mackenzie River. A spokesperson for Imperial Oil said in an email that the company is monitoring the water quality and there are no indications there is a risk to public health. This comes after people downriver in Fort Good Hope reported surface contaminants on the water.
