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.
Years after voicing its opposition to an Ontario nuclear technology company disposing of nuclear waste near the Ottawa River, a group of Montreal-area mayors is still not on board with the project. Now, it's expressed its concerns during a public hearing. In 2018, dozens of mayors with the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM) unanimously adopted a motion to oppose the development of a permanent nuclear waste disposal site in Chalk River, Ont., about 180 kilometres northeast of Ottawa.
Ottawa city staff have submitted their recommendations for the proposed nuclear waste facility at Chalk River to ensure the Ottawa River is protected from contamination. In a memo dated March 10, staff outline 10 recommendations to ensure the safety of river, the primary source of drinking water for residents of Ottawa. "We are supportive of the proposed [near-surface disposal facility] as a means of providing improved environmental protection and engineered storage for low-level radioactive waste," the memo said.
A proposed radioactive waste landfill at the Chalk River Nuclear Facility has many in Ottawa concerned, especially about how it may affect our drinking water. More than 30 delegations lined up on an Ottawa city hall Zoom call to voice concerns or support for the project. The city’s environment committee is not opposing the project, but is calling for a number of safeguards instead.
