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

watershed health

Columbia Basin Water Hub helps fill gaps in water knowledge

Columbia Basin Water Hub helps fill gaps in water knowledge

As the Columbia Basin continues to experience the impacts of climate change, there is a mounting need to share water knowledge. Water-related data is used by decision makers to understand watershed health and the sustainability of communities and natural ecosystems. “As we continue to experience climate change impacts, our water resources are put under stress, so we need to have the necessary knowledge to properly and efficiently adapt when water levels drop,” said Santiago Botero, applied innovation and technology manager for Living Lakes Canada.

OTF and Water First Announce Success of Pilot Conservation Workshops Inspiring Indigenous Students to Become Future Water Scientists

OTF and Water First Announce Success of Pilot Conservation Workshops Inspiring Indigenous Students to Become Future Water Scientists

World Nature Conservation Day (July 28th) underscores the need for more opportunities to empower Indigenous youth to cultivate interest in, and develop a passion for, water science. With a Seed grant of $71,700 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Water First has been inspiring and engaging Indigenous students to become future water scientists. Through consultation with Indigenous community partners, Water First has delivered a series of in-person and virtual conservation workshops to explore watershed health and water quality through experiential and project-based learning.

Alberta’s ‘back door’ plan to free up billions of litres of water for coal mines raises alarm

Alberta’s ‘back door’ plan to free up billions of litres of water for coal mines raises alarm

In Alberta, water users are granted the right to withdraw water from rivers and streams through a licensing system. In some watersheds, including the Oldman, that system is closed. There’s a finite amount of water available, and all of the licences are spoken for. The issue is not new. A water policy directive created by the Alberta government in 2006 found “limits for water allocations had been reached or exceeded on the Bow, Oldman and South Saskatchewan River sub-basins, putting at risk Alberta’s obligation to provide water to neighbouring provinces and conserve the aquatic ecosystem.”

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