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

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State of Emergency in Canadian Arctic City Due to Water Shortage

State of Emergency in Canadian Arctic City Due to Water Shortage

On Friday. the city Iqaluit declared state of emergency following a precarious water situation, writes Reuters. The city is located in the territory of Nunavut, in the far north in Canada. The water level in the local river Apex is historically low after a year of little rain, according to data from the last 40 years. Local authorities fear that there will not be enough water in the reservoir to supply the approximately 7800 inhabitants until winter when the river freezes over. The city is now seeking license to pump more water than normally allowed from the Apex river, as well as tapping an additional water source.

Halifax Water wants you to flush less if you live here

Halifax Water wants you to flush less if you live here

Halifax Water is asking people in certain parts of the municipality to flush less often as repairs are underway to a pump that's causing wastewater to flow into Halifax harbour. A map provided by the utility Wednesday afternoon highlights the Larry Uteck area, Park West, Clayton Park, Fairview, parts of the west end and parts of north-end Halifax. "This will help minimize the amount of wastewater released into the environment," the utility stated in a news release.

Alma continues to be under boil-water advisory after lightning damaged water pump

Alma continues to be under boil-water advisory after lightning damaged water pump

The village of Alma continues to be under a boil-water order first instated Friday. Early Friday morning, a lighting storm took out the electronics that control the village water pump. Restaurants closed that morning, and by Saturday the pump was back up and running. But residents were asked to continue to conserve water and to boil it before ingesting it. Alma Mayor Andrew Casey said the village needs three consecutive good water tests taken 24 hours apart to lift the advisory. Until then, residents must bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before ingesting it, brushing their teeth or washing food.

Laval investigates after men wearing camouflage caught draining wetland

Laval investigates after men wearing camouflage caught draining wetland

Officials in Laval, Que., working with police, have launched an investigation after green space advocates captured video of what appears to be camouflage-clad men covertly draining a patch of wetland over the weekend. It's still not known why the men allegedly dragged large pipes, a pump and hoses into a wooded sector near Saint-Elzéar Boulevard West, but Laval's deputy mayor, Stéphane Boyer, says it certainly won't lead to any construction permits being issued — if that was their plan.

B.C. community of Hedley under do-not-consume water advisory due to arsenic levels

B.C. community of Hedley under do-not-consume water advisory due to arsenic levels

Residents of a small B.C. community are facing an ongoing water issue that started in late December and could stretch into March. Located in the Southern Interior, the village of Hedley is under a do-not-consume water advisory because of higher-than-safe arsenic levels. The advisory came into effect on Christmas Day and, because of wrinkles caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, is expected to last another four weeks.

Ontario should stop playing 'jurisdictional ping pong' with First Nations' water crisis, says NDP MPP

Ontario should stop playing 'jurisdictional ping pong' with First Nations' water crisis, says NDP MPP

The NDP MPP for the region with the longest-running boil water advisories of any First Nations in Canada is demanding the Ontario government become part of the solution. Sol Mamakwa, who represents the riding of Kiiwetinoong in northwestern Ontario, said the provincial government could do more to help alleviate the suffering of communities on long-term drinking water advisories.

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