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

spill

Another spill at Kearl mine reported in northern Alberta

Another spill at Kearl mine reported in northern Alberta

There has been another spill at Imperial Oil's Kearl facility in northern Alberta, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has confirmed. "On Nov. 13, Imperial Oil reported to EDGE that there had been a release of water with Total Suspended Solids (TSS) more than their approved provincial regulatory limit from a sedimentation pond at their Kearl site," Teresa Broughton of AER wrote in an email to CTV News Edmonton. "Initial reports indicated approximately 670m3 of water was released into the Muskeg River."

Cleanup of Mimico Creek nearly complete after spill from industrial fire, ministry says

Cleanup of Mimico Creek nearly complete after spill from industrial fire, ministry says

Cleanup of an Etobicoke creek is nearly complete after a spill of toxic sludge into the water from runoff following a massive industrial fire in August, according to Ontario's environment ministry. The sludge that entered Mimico Creek after the Aug. 11 fire at Brenntag Canada, a chemical distribution company, killed fish, birds and mammals. Spill containment berms, however, were still visible on the creek on Tuesday, more than two months after the spill.

Recovery of military helicopter involved in crash underway, 'small amount of fluids' in water

Recovery of military helicopter involved in crash underway, 'small amount of fluids' in water

According to a public service announcement, small amounts of fluid “released from the helicopter have been noted in the water within the containment area and have been removed.” A contractor has been monitoring contamination through water sampling of the crash site. As of Tuesday afternoon, Lavallee said sampling hasn’t found any contamination along the riverbank or beach. “We have some specialized equipment on site, on the river, to contain any fluids like lubricants, or fuel, or any contaminant that may leave the aircraft into the water to prevent that contamination from getting into the wider environment. There has been some evidence of some small amount of fluids that have come out of the helicopter, but it’s all been contained by this specialized equipment.”

Spill on Athabasca River won't impact water supply: Town

Spill on Athabasca River won't impact water supply: Town

An industrial effluent spill won’t impact Whitecourt’s water supply, according to the town. Alberta Environment confirmed with the Whitecourt Star that it is investigating a wastewater treatment system overflow at Alberta Newsprint Company’s plant. “The safety and well-being of communities in the area is our top priority,” Alberta Environment Press Secretary Miguel Racin told the Star.

Province waited a month to declare emergency response to northern Alberta oilsands releases: document

Province waited a month to declare emergency response to northern Alberta oilsands releases: document

The Alberta government waited a month before calling an emergency response to one of the biggest releases of oilsands tailings in the province's history, a leaked document shows. The document, obtained by The Canadian Press, shows the province didn't initiate an emergency response until after First Nations chiefs in the area went public about how they were informed of the releases from Imperial Oil's Kearl mine, about 70 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, Alta.

Ontario orders Hamilton to improve sewage monitoring after spill into Lake Ontario. News Jani

Ontario orders Hamilton to improve sewage monitoring after spill into Lake Ontario. News Jani

Ontario orders Hamilton to improve sewage monitoring after spill into Lake Ontario. Ontario’s Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has issued a provincial officer order to the City of Hamilton to improve the way it inspects its sewage system, following the discovery of two recent large-scale spills. The two spillways collectively saw an estimated 396 million liters of wastewater flow into Lake Ontario since 1996.

Sunken Second World War vessel again leaking oil in B.C.

Sunken Second World War vessel again leaking oil in B.C.

Oil is leaking again from a sunken United States Army transport vessel, the Brigadier General M.G. Zalinski, in Grenville Channel, about 100 kilometres south of Prince Rupert. Guardians noticed a “small amount” of oil on the water near the wreck site in September, the Canadian Coast Guard said. It completed an assessment of the site and found three leaks releasing slow but regular drops of oil into the water.

Hamilton estimates 337 million litres of sewage spilled into harbourfront since 1996

Hamilton estimates 337 million litres of sewage spilled into harbourfront since 1996

The City of Hamilton estimates 337 million litres of sewage — roughly 135 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of sewage — flowed into the harbour since 1996. That's roughly 13 million litres per year for 26 years. "City staff developed this estimate based on the water meter usage data for all of the properties connected to the combined sewer pipe," read a media release from the city on Monday morning, adding this method was identified as the most accurate way to represent the discharge over the 26 years.

Imperial Oil reporting spill in Norman Wells occurred under Mackenzie River

Imperial Oil reporting spill in Norman Wells occurred under Mackenzie River

Nearly a month after the incident was first reported, Imperial Oil has confirmed that the produced water line that spilled in Norman Wells, N.W.T. is underneath the Mackenzie River. Cabin Radio first reported the leak's location. Imperial Oil said the cause of the leak is still being determined and that results from water sampling indicate there is no risk to public health or freshwater aquatic life downstream. In early August, residents in Fort Good Hope reported a fuel-like sheen and other surface contaminants spotted on the surface of the Mackenzie River.

16 days later, Imperial Oil still investigating if Norman Wells spill entered Mackenzie River

16 days later, Imperial Oil still investigating if Norman Wells spill entered Mackenzie River

Imperial Oil is still investigating whether produced water that spilled at the Norman Wells, N.W.T. operation in late July has entered the Mackenzie River. A spokesperson for Imperial Oil said in an email that the company is monitoring the water quality and there are no indications there is a risk to public health. This comes after people downriver in Fort Good Hope reported surface contaminants on the water.

Canadian refinery spills diesel into St. Clair River

Canadian refinery spills diesel into St. Clair River

An unknown amount of petrochemicals spilled into the St. Clair River from a refinery in Canada during heavy rainfall Wednesday night. An overflow in Suncor’s Sarnia refinery’s internal sewer system left a sheen on the river that caused officials on both sides of the international border to close off drinking water intakes. But Canadian authorities cleared water plants to return to normal activity Thursday morning.

Imperial Oil investigating 55,000-litre spill of produced water in N.W.T.

Imperial Oil investigating 55,000-litre spill of produced water in N.W.T.

Imperial Oil Ltd. says it is investigating a spill from a produced water line at its facility in Norman Wells, N.W.T. The petroleum refining company says about 55,000 litres of produced water was released on Wednesday.

Potential damage is being downplayed in latest Alberta oil pipeline leak

Potential damage is being downplayed in latest Alberta oil pipeline leak

Less than two months after a spill at an oil pipeline dumped 900,000 litres of contaminated water–so called “produced water”–in northwestern Alberta, there’s been another spill in the oil-rich province. The latest spill, reported at 2 p.m on Christmas Day by a local landowner, occurred near Drayton Valley, a community about 130 kilometres southwest of Edmonton, the province’s capital city. Drayton Valley was the site of a spill–the result of a ruptured pipeline–that dumped 40,000 litres of crude oil into a local creek in August, 2019.

A Mi’kmaq community’s fears of toxic water recede as Northern Pulp mill winds down

A Mi’kmaq community’s fears of toxic water recede as Northern Pulp mill winds down

For decades, Pictou Landing First Nation has lived uneasily near an industrial plant emitting brown, foul-smelling waste and the effluent treatment facility they say causes respiratory and skin illnesses. Now, the mill is being mothballed. Ms. Francis, a member of Pictou Landing First Nation, fought for years to stop toxic wastewater from the Northern Pulp plant from being pumped into a tidal estuary next to her community. After decades of court battles, environmental studies and protests, people on the Nova Scotia reserve are hopeful they may one day be able trust their water and land again.

Heating oil drains into Ottawa River after spill in downtown Gatineau, Que.

Heating oil drains into Ottawa River after spill in downtown Gatineau, Que.

An undetermined amount of heating oil has ended up in the Ottawa River after a spill in downtown Gatineau, Que., near the offices of the provincial environment ministry. The spill happened at 170 rue de l'Hôtel de Ville during a delivery Friday, according to an email from ministry spokesperson Alexandre Ouellet, the regional director of the Outaouais Environmental Control Center.

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