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.
An environmental group says a coal company's application to deepen its open-pit mine shouldn't be considered while it's under investigation over wastewater releases into local rivers. The Alberta Wilderness Association says CST Canada Coal in Grande Cache, Alta., must prove it can operate safely before the provincial regulator looks at its request.
Nova Scotia's environment minister has approved a second green hydrogen production plant in Point Tupper, N.S. Bear Head Energy plans to construct the green hydrogen and ammonia facility in the Point Tupper Industrial Park on the Strait of Canso at the same location it had once planned to build a liquefied natural gas plant. The company will produce green hydrogen by drawing water from Landrie Lake, then using renewable energy from wind turbines to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen through a process called electrolysis. It will then convert the hydrogen into ammonia, which makes it easier to ship hydrogen long distances.
The company is also seeking approval to store tailings in open pits that are no longer being used. The company says this would lower the ecological footprint since right now it removes water from tailings and stores the dry tailings at a tailings storage facility and then stores waste rock at a waste rock storage facility. "Storing tailings and waste rock in exhausted pits would reduce freshwater use and re-use spaces instead of impacting new ones," the company proposal says.
The Tłı̨chǫ Government expressed "concern" over the N.W.T's decision not to approve an application by Diavik Diamond Mine to begin a process of progressive reclamation. The Tłı̨chǫ raised its issue with the decision in a letter dated July 27, stating the problem is around jurisdiction. The letter was addressed to Shane Thompson, the minister of environment and natural resources, claiming he is ignoring the treaty by rejecting a recommendation by the Wek'èezhı̀ı Land and Water Board, the land management authority for the area created after the Tłı̨chǫ agreement.
The clock has started on the environmental assessment process for Northern Pulp's proposal to restart its beleaguered pulp and paper mill in Nova Scotia's Pictou County. Last week, the company filed a registration document with the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change, and on Tuesday the department formally registered the project. Now begins the process of a Class 2 environmental assessment — the more rigorous of the province's two environmental assessment options.
It’s the last chance to have your say and provide input on why Sault Ste. Marie should be the host of Canada’s Water Agency Initiative. The federal government announced earlier this year that it wants to establish a Canada Water Agency to improve freshwater management across the country. Ward 5 Coun. Corey Gardi has spearheaded the initiative for Sault Ste. Marie to host the future agency. Stakeholders called to the table include various organizations, Indigenous persons, youth and the community at large. The comments, ideas and concerns for clean-water issues will be incorporated in the city’s pitch to bring the Canada Water Agency to the Sault.
After significant floods have swept through parts of Toronto three years in a row, washing out roadways, subway lines and basements, the idea of a stormwater charge is back on the table. The city staff proposal to make property owners pay for water runoff and the required infrastructure upgrades to deal with it was shut down by Mayor John Tory in 2017, when his executive committee sent it back to staff for more work. Giorgio Mammoliti, who was on council at the time, had incorrectly branded the charge as a "roof tax" that spurred opposition and Tory compared implementing the plan to trying to "unscramble an egg."
A new children’s book series by a Syilx and Nlaka’pamux author is teaching kids about the importance of water as a living entity and how to protect it. “It was significant and important for me to write this series because water is life. I wanted to create awareness of water practices and policies, to ensure that it’s protected,” says author Harron Hall. The four-book series, titled Follow the Water, will launch on Feb. 5, and marks Harron’s publishing debut.
