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.
Charlottetown is one of many towns, districts and municipalities in Canada where drinking water is still flowing through asbestos cement pipes, an investigative report by a national broadcaster has found. W5 said it checked with more than 100 towns, districts and municipalities in the country and 90 per cent of them do have asbestos pipes. The pipes were installed decades ago, and all are nearing end-of-life but are still delivering tap water.
Tofino residents were asked to limit their water use to drinking and flushing on the weekend after the district’s water supply was affected by a major power outage. All food operators were asked to only serve takeout orders to save on water. Heavy snow downed trees onto power lines Saturday evening, cutting electricity to about 2,300 B.C. Hydro customers, including the system that runs Tofino’s water supply. Environment Canada said about 32 centimetres of snow fell in the Ucluelet-Tofino area Saturday, more than anywhere else on the Island.
Unfortunately, sticking close to home doesn’t exempt you from the challenges of winter weather. Water damage has been an issue in B.C.’s Okanagan region this week as temperatures plummeted. Splatsin First Nation, near Enderby, had a crack form in its water reservoir due to the cold weather. Residents were told Thursday to fill and store water in case the crack led to water service being cut off.
News of the drying up of Lake Mead, the largest-capacity water reservoir in the United States, and the recent high-profile release of California’s strategy for dealing with the state’s growing water shortages are combining to raise questions of whether Canada will one day be exporting its fresh water south. The prospect of our water being exported in bulk to a thirsty U.S. neighbour captures Canadians’ attention. For one, the subject goes to the heart of concern about our national sovereignty. It is also a scenario that is readily and intuitively grasped: one can see in the mind’s eye Canada’s water flowing north to south — top to bottom on the map of North America — as if through some giant open tap, even though many cross-border rivers actually flow south to north.
A severe water shortage has prompted a boil water advisory in the village of Alma. In a news release, Mayor Andrew Casey said the water reservoir is at a critically low level, and the village on the edge of Fundy National Park is using its backup well. The village of recommended boiling water for one minute prior to consumption — including water used for mixing juice, dental hygiene, washing vegetables, making ice or any other activity requiring human consumption.
A new water reservoir system for Iqaluit and upgrades to the city's water distribution system will be built over the coming years, thanks to roughly $214 million in federal funding. "I feel like some of my grey hair might be turning back to brown," quipped Iqaluit Mayor Kenny Bell Friday morning, following an announcement from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the funding.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared to walk back his government’s promise to end all water-boil advisories in First Nations communities by March 2021. Pressed by reporters Friday, Trudeau wouldn’t commit to meeting the 2021 deadline and said the federal government was working to lift the remaining drinking water advisories “as soon as possible.”
