Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

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.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

protecting the watershed

‘It’s our food supply, right?:’ Shuswap land defender focuses on water

‘It’s our food supply, right?:’ Shuswap land defender focuses on water

It’s about clean water. It’s always been about clean water. Miranda Dick, Secwépemc, repeatedly emphasizes the importance of clean water when she speaks about her actions trying to stop the twinning of the Trans Mountain pipeline. She said for her whole life, stemming from her mom and dad, she’s been protecting the watershed. Her mom passed away from cancer more than 18 years ago. “She always said it was in the food we eat and the water we drink – this cancer would be contaminating our human consumption. So she always said to protect clean water, protect the berries, and protect the salmon and the deer. It’s our food supply, right?” remarked Miranda. “So I always led with that, over the course of time, protection of clean water.”

Back to top Eight Kootenay Lake conservation projects receive RDCK support

Back to top Eight Kootenay Lake conservation projects receive RDCK support

Conservation efforts around the water and aquatic systems of Kootenay Lake will see some support from the regional district this year. The Regional District of Central Kootenay board of directors approved $75,000 in grant funds for the Kootenay Lake Local Conservation Fund (KLLCF) to be spread among eight different projects. Established in consultation with residents in electoral areas A, D and E — following a referendum in 2014 — each of the eight projects will receive 80 per cent of the money up front and the remaining 20 per cent upon receipt of the final report. The Kootenay Lake and surrounding area has been impacted for its ecological and habitat values due to dam operations and development pressure, noted Sangita Sudan, general manager of the RDCK’s Development and Community Sustainability.

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