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

source water protection

Ontario Takes Further Action to Protect the Great Lakes

Ontario Takes Further Action to Protect the Great Lakes

The Ontario government is supporting projects that help communities protect and improve the health of the Great Lakes by investing an additional $1.9 million in the Great Lakes Local Action Fund. “We all have a role to play in protecting and restoring the Great Lakes, and through the Great Lakes Local Action Fund, communities and local organizations can apply for funding to take environmental action right in their own backyards,” said David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “Following the success of our first round of funding, our government is proud to support more local projects to protect, conserve, and restore the Great Lakes and their watersheds for future generations.”

Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations and Water First announce new training internship for Water Treatment Plant Operators

Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations and Water First announce new training internship for Water Treatment Plant Operators

The Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations (WBAFN), a tribal council with six member First Nations in Northern Ontario, and Canadian charity Water First Education & Training Inc. announce their partnership to deliver a drinking water treatment and environmental water science internship program for young Indigenous adults. Approximately 12 interns will be recruited from six participating First Nations communities across the tribal council’s region to pursue Operator in Training (OIT) and Water Quality Analyst (WQA) certifications.

Region of Waterloo won't support Bill 66, votes to send message to province

Region of Waterloo won't support Bill 66, votes to send message to province

Regional councillors do not support planning changes proposed under Bill 66 and will be sending that message to the province about it. During the planning and works committee meeting on Tuesday morning, councillors voted on a staff recommendation to tell the province the region does not support proposed amendments to the Planning Act as set out in Bill 66, the Restoring Ontario's Competitiveness Act, because "it fails to adequately protect human health and safety and in particular the safety of the Region of Waterloo's drinking water resources."

Source Water Protection Plan Endorsed

Source Water Protection Plan Endorsed

Document intended to protect Whistler's biggest water supply. The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is taking steps to protect the community's biggest water source. At its July 10 meeting, council endorsed the 21 Mile Creek Watershed Source Water Protection Plan (SWPP)—a document intended to mitigate risks and minimize exposure to unacceptable concentrations of contaminants in the water supply.

Reactor's neighbours alarmed over radioactive toxins in river

Reactor's neighbours alarmed over radioactive toxins in river

"The discharge limits of tritium are 10,000 times below the actual dose limits that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission requires us to meet," said Meggan Vickerd, the reactor's decommissioning manager.
But just what makes an "acceptable" limit is a matter of debate.
Ole Hendrickson, a scientist and researcher for the group Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area, questions the safety of the discharge limits for the facility. 

Follow us