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

urbanization

How forest fire smoke in the Thunder Bay area is harming waterways

How forest fire smoke in the Thunder Bay area is harming waterways

As Canada continues to battle relentless forest fires, Thunder Bay's blue skies are sometimes turning grey with smoke from fires, both near and far. While the smoky air has created serious health risks for vulnerable groups, it is also putting the region's already at-risk waterways in jeopardy. According to Robert Stewart, an associate professor in the geography department at Lakehead University, the majority of the area's rivers are negatively affected by urbanization and storm water, but must now deal with the side effects of climate change.

Making the promised Canada Water Agency a reality

Making the promised Canada Water Agency a reality

Water has been an issue even in a pandemic, with drought, floods and lack of access. A commitment to freshwater management that values water is key. Canada is known around the world for its pristine lakes and vast water resources, but in recent months devastating effects of drought have shown that water, and our dependence on it, is under threat. Even in 2020 – a year dominated by COVID-19 – floods, droughts, melting glaciers and lack of access to drinking water made headline news in Canada. The evidence is clear – we are facing a water-insecure future with our water resources increasingly vulnerable to contamination, urbanization, changing land uses and climate change.

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