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

ranchers

Canadian ranchers brace for long, lean winter after droughts, soaring feed costs

Canadian ranchers brace for long, lean winter after droughts, soaring feed costs

As of Sept. 30, according to Agriculture Canada's most recent update, 72 per cent of the country and 69 per cent of Canada's agricultural landscape was considered either "abnormally dry" or in "moderate to exceptional drought." But drought's effects aren't felt only in the summer. For cattle producers, winter is when the toll can be most severe, as animals' caloric needs are higher and grazing land is frozen or snow-covered. "Certainly, the impacts are carrying on for people that utilize the resources that were depleted during the summer," said Trevor Hadwen, a Regina-based agroclimate specialist with Agriculture Canada.

B.C., Canada help farmers with climate adaptation, drought

B.C., Canada help farmers with climate adaptation, drought

B.C. farmers and ranchers can better prepare for and mitigate impacts of climate change, while continuing to support the province’s food security and a sustainable environment through funding from the governments of Canada and British Columbia. Funding is available via the Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) program. “The Government of Canada is committed to helping our agricultural producers mitigate the impacts of climate change,” said Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This investment will offer B.C. farmers the support they need to adapt their operations to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change, while protecting food security and the environment for future generations.” 

Sask. forecasted to be warmer than normal for the next month

Sask. forecasted to be warmer than normal for the next month

Spring may be just around the corner in Saskatchewan. Daytime temperatures above freezing this week are a welcome relief from what has been a long, cold winter. Temperatures in Regina are forecast to hit 8 C by the end of the week, while Saskatoon will see highs of 6 C, Swift Current could hit double digits and even Uranium City will reach a high of –1 C.

The Water Security Agency Offering Free Workshops, Helping Farmers Plan Agricultural Drainage Projects in a Changing Climate

The Water Security Agency Offering Free Workshops, Helping Farmers Plan Agricultural Drainage Projects in a Changing Climate

The Water Security Agency (WSA), with the support of Natural Resources Canada, is offering free online workshops called AgH2Onward to introduce farmers and ranchers to the Agricultural Water Management program in Saskatchewan, the process and benefits of drainage approvals, and innovative techniques to best manage water on their land. The free workshops are being offered until April 2022 and include two half-day sessions.

Alberta ranchers get relief package of $136M from province to help with drought conditions

Alberta ranchers get relief package of $136M from province to help with drought conditions

The Alberta government is giving $136 million of financial relief to livestock producers and beekeepers, after drought conditions and the pandemic took a toll on the industry. Premier Jason Kenney said at a press conference on Friday that the money is part of the AgriRecovery program — which combines efforts of the federal and provincial governments. According to a release issued Friday, the federal government agreed to $100 million for immediate relief for Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Alberta.

The Sprout: More Alberta communities declare drought disaster

The Sprout: More Alberta communities declare drought disaster

We start with a drought update. More communities in Alberta have declared a state of agricultural disaster as drought continues to decimate crops across much of Western Canada. As CBC News reports, Rocky View County is the latest to make the declaration because of expectations of terrible yields this year. Meanwhile, ranchers in Alberta say they, too, are continuing to struggle and are worried about feeding their animals as the drought hits feed supplies. Global News has that story.

Well water fears prompt calls to halt proposed bottling plant near B.C. village

Well water fears prompt calls to halt proposed bottling plant near B.C. village

Angie Kane knows how important well water is when you live in the heart of dry, rural B.C. For 17 years, she lived on a ranch outside Clinton, a semi-desert village about 120 kilometres northwest of Kamloops. Many residents who live outside municipal boundaries draw water from aquifers. For Kane, the arid climate always kept the importance of her water supply top of mind. "That is the biggest concern, for anyone who has a well, is will it dry up? Or will it go away?" she told CBC News.

Canadian Country Music Star Corb Lund Is Taking a Stand Against Fossil Fuels

Canadian Country Music Star Corb Lund Is Taking a Stand Against Fossil Fuels

With hits like the "Roughest Neck Around" that celebrate oil workers, Canadian country rocker Corb Lund might not be an obvious choice as a campaigner against fossil fuel expansion. But the music star has taken on an unexpected new role, as a leader of efforts to stop new open-pit coal mines in western Canada's iconic Rocky Mountains. Alberta’s province, dubbed "Canada's Texas" by political scientists for its petroleum industry and conservative political culture, has been hit by the cancellation of the planned Keystone XL pipeline to the United States, as US President Joe Biden's administration steps up action on climate change.

'Challenging times' for Manitoba farmers as drought conditions persist

'Challenging times' for Manitoba farmers as drought conditions persist

Near Oak Point, Man., rancher Tom Johnson waters his cattle using makeshift troughs made out of old tractor tires. "They probably just drank these dry this morning," he said. The dugouts his 120 head of cattle usually get water from are nearly dry. His cattle also have access to Lake Manitoba, but its level is so low, the water is too far away. So twice a day — morning and night — he hauls water from two wells.

Biden regulators to revise Trump rollback of water protection

Biden regulators to revise Trump rollback of water protection

President Joe Biden's administration on Wednesday announced its intent to protect more U.S. waterways through environmental regulations, reversing a Trump-era rollback that had been urged by farmers, ranchers and manufacturers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army reviewed ex-President Donald Trump's Navigable Waters Protection Rule and determined that it "significantly" reduced clean water protections - a major concern as arid states in the west face droughts.

Contaminant from coal mines already high in some Alberta rivers: unreported data

Contaminant from coal mines already high in some Alberta rivers: unreported data

The province's plan for large-scale expansion of the industry is fueling widespread criticism that includes concerns over selenium pollution. The data shows that same contaminant has been found for years at high levels downstream of three mines and never publicly reported. The findings raise questions about Alberta Environment, said a former senior official who has seen the data. "There were lots of [selenium] numbers and it was consistently above the water quality guidelines and in many cases way higher," said Bill Donahue, the department's one-time executive director of science. "Why did Alberta Environment sit on these data for easily the last 10 to 15 years?"

"It's the drinking water for 2 million people across Canada" — Alberta ranchers take Kenney government to court

"It's the drinking water for 2 million people across Canada" — Alberta ranchers take Kenney government to court

In the larger scale, the watershed feeds 43 per cent of irrigated land, and provides water for 2 million people. The effect of mining on this area, and all downstream users, would be detrimental. The water runs all the way to Hudson Bay, and as Smith notes, “it’s not something that should be toyed with.” A lawyer involved in the challenge firmly believes that the Kenney government has broken the law. It impacts more than just ranchers, it will affect all of southern Alberta and the users of water from this watershed. The best case scenario for the challenge is that the Coal Policy will be reinstated and open-pit mountain top removal coal mining stopped.

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