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

waterways

U.S., Canada and Ktunaxa Nation to discuss coal-mining pollution in Kootenai River watershed

U.S., Canada and Ktunaxa Nation to discuss coal-mining pollution in Kootenai River watershed

After years of delays and false starts, eight governments impacted by an expansive Canadian coal-mining operation are set to meet today on Indigenous territory in Cranbrook, British Columbia, to discuss the future of the governments’ shared waterways. The meeting will include representatives from the federal governments of the United States and Canada and the Ktunaxa Nation Council, which advocates for the interests of six bands of Indigenous people spread across present-day British Columbia, Montana and Idaho. The council, which includes representation from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, has for years asked for greater oversight of Teck Resources’ British Columbia-based coal-mining operation.

Threat of invasive mussels has Okanagan's water board calling for moratorium on out-of-province boats

Threat of invasive mussels has Okanagan's water board calling for moratorium on out-of-province boats

The threat of invasive mussels has led the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) to propose a potential temporary ban on all out-of-province boats entering B.C.'s waterways. James Littley, deputy administrator for the OBWB, said two species of freshwater mussels — zebra and quagga mussels — could be catastrophic to lake and river systems if stringent measures aren't put in place to keep them out of the province.

Former B.C. mining exec fined $30K for environmental violations — but First Nation says damage costs far more

Former B.C. mining exec fined $30K for environmental violations — but First Nation says damage costs far more

The former executive of a now-bankrupt mining company has been fined nearly $30,000 for environmental violations dating back to 2015 — an amount that has led to competing appeals from both sides. The charges follow a July 7 ruling from B.C. provincial court judge David Patterson, who said Benjamin Mossman was "actively or passively involved" in releasing excess zinc and other substances into woods and wetlands on Banks Island in Gitxaała First Nation territory. He was fined $29,994, according to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, which led the joint investigation into the allegations in the initial stages. 

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.

Blue-green algae is back. Here are some tips to protect you and your pet

Blue-green algae is back. Here are some tips to protect you and your pet

Although it isn't quite summer yet, blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, is already showing up in New Brunswick waterways. Meghann Bruce, a researcher and instructor with the University of New Brunswick Canadian Rivers Institute, said as soon as the ice went out in early May, there was a "bloom" in Blue Bell Lake near Grand Falls.

Ontario man works to remove 'sea of goldfish' from natural wetland

Ontario man works to remove 'sea of goldfish' from natural wetland

Exploding goldfish populations that can successfully survive the winter are wreaking havoc on native fish species across the country, in suburban storm water ponds, in lakes and other waterways. Researchers in B.C. recently warned the invasive fish is moving in schools the size of football fields and spreading from Vancouver to other parts of B.C.

23 Saint Johners trapped laundry lint for a year to keep microplastics out of waterways

23 Saint Johners trapped laundry lint for a year to keep microplastics out of waterways

Taylor Kormann didn't know what to expect when she signed up to collect the goopy leftovers of her laundry cycles for a year as a part of a citizen science project for the Atlantic Coastal Action Program. "It was almost shocking to see what's coming out of the laundry," Kormann said. Kormann and 22 other Saint John residents spent 2022 collecting the wet lint from their washing machines to measure the microplastics their wash cycles were contributing to the city's water system.

Protecting Saskatchewan’s waterways and wetlands

Protecting Saskatchewan’s waterways and wetlands

Saskatchewan is known for its many beautiful lakes and abundance of fresh water and wetlands. Helping to protect the province’s natural resource of water is the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds. The association’s executive director, Bridget Andrews, explains the work they do and how the public can help protect Saskatchewan’s waterways.

Surface water quality, tree cover get bad grades from conservation authority

Surface water quality, tree cover get bad grades from conservation authority

The Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) released its report cards for the watersheds in the region, and while some results are positive, ERCA concluded some areas need improvement. The report cards, which are given based on five years of data collection, are given out by conservation authorities across Ontario using standardized methodologies to grade surface water and groundwater quality and forest cover, according to Katie Stammler, a water quality scientist with ERCA.

Data shows Ontario, Quebec have worst water quality in Canada

Data shows Ontario, Quebec have worst water quality in Canada

A report from Environment and Climate Change Canada said Ontario and Quebec have the poorest water quality in Canada, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “Calculated trends using data from 2002 to 2020 show no site with improved water quality,” said the report. “During that same period, water quality deteriorated at 24 sites.” Water quality showed no improvement in the past two decades because of raw sewage dumped into waterways. Regional waterways with worsening quality included Ottawa’s Rideau River, Toronto’s Humber and Don rivers, and Quebec’s Chateauguay, Jacques-Cartier, and la Petite Nation rivers.

Alberta premier says Imperial Oil should have disclosed tailings pond spills

Alberta premier says Imperial Oil should have disclosed tailings pond spills

Alberta's energy regulator may have ignored provincial law by not publicly disclosing that waste from a large oilsands tailings pond was escaping containment and seeping into groundwater, says a lawyer. Drew Yewchuk of the University of Calgary's Public Interest Law Clinic is asking the province's information and privacy commissioner to investigate how and why the Alberta Energy Regulator chose not to release information on the leak at Imperial Oil's Kearl mine, despite direction in provincial law to do so.

5 Pressing Environmental Issues in Canada in 2023

5 Pressing Environmental Issues in Canada in 2023

Mining, however, has devastating consequences on the environment and is associated with forest loss, contamination of freshwater resources as well as the impoverishment and displacement of communities. Between 2008 and 2017, mining waste failures in the country have killed more than 340 people, polluted hundreds of kilometres of waterways, wiped our fish populations and jeopardised the livelihoods of entire communities.

OPG and Northland Power announce plans for pumped storage project

OPG and Northland Power announce plans for pumped storage project

OPG and Northland Power Inc have proposed a first-of-a-kind project for Canada that would develop a pumped storage project at a long inactive, open-pit iron ore mine. The Marmora Pumped Storage Project is a joint-venture between the two power producers. Located in the Municipality of Marmora and Lake in Ontario, the proposed 400MW closed-loop pumped storage facility could power up to 400,000 homes at peak demand with clean, renewable electricity for up to five hours.

How beavers are reviving wetlands

How beavers are reviving wetlands

We are losing wetlands three times faster than forests, according to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. When it comes to restoring them to their natural state there is one hero with remarkable powers - the beaver. Wetlands store water, act as a carbon sink, and are a source of food. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands says they do more for humanity than all other terrestrial ecosystems - and yet they are disappearing at an alarming rate. The main problems are agricultural and urban expansion, as well as droughts and higher temperatures brought about by climate change. But if you have a river and a beaver it may be possible to halt this process.

IMPAC5

IMPAC5

Or consider how climate change is also melting ice and glaciers in the Arctic. For Inuit, this means that the traditional way of life is being disrupted and destroyed. That same ice melt is also raising water levels, endangering coastal communities and island nations. Tuvalu, for example, is building a digital version of its country to preserve its history, culture and language. If things continue on this course, there is a good chance the nation will be submerged by the end of the century.

Volunteers hauled thousands of kilograms of garbage up steep incline from squatter camp

Volunteers hauled thousands of kilograms of garbage up steep incline from squatter camp

A group of Chilliwack volunteers braved chilly temperatures to haul away several truckloads of garbage Sunday. Tarps, bike parts, furniture and clothes were dragged up a steep incline from a homeless camp under the Vedder River bridge on Swetzer Creek. It was the second volunteer cleanup at the site conducted by stewards and nature lovers. The camp saw a fire break out last weekend in one of the tarped structures, which postponed the cleanup until Jan. 29.

Reducing phosphorus runoff

Reducing phosphorus runoff

Is it possible to reduce the amount of phosphorus being released from agricultural land and into waterways, such as Lake Winnipeg, during the spring melt? It’s a question UWinnipeg Professor Dr. Darshani Kumaragamage, Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences, and her research team are trying to answer. In most parts of the world, erosion, and rain-driven runoff are the major pathways by which phosphorus from agricultural fields enter waterbodies. However, in cold climates like the Canadian prairies, flooding-induced phosphorus loss during the snowmelt period is the dominant transport mechanism of phosphorus from agricultural lands to water bodies.

Government of Canada investing $25 million in infrastructure funding for Parks Canada

Government of Canada investing $25 million in infrastructure funding for Parks Canada

Priority road and bridge improvements in Gros Morne National Park and L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site to ensure safe travelling experiences. The network of protected areas administered by Parks Canada is a gateway to nature, history, and 450 000 km² of memories from coast to coast to coast. Investing in these locations helps support the protection of natural and built heritage, increases climate resiliency and creates jobs in local communities, while providing visitors with high-quality, safe and meaningful experiences across the country.

Environmental group claims water tests at gold mine site have high arsenic levels

Environmental group claims water tests at gold mine site have high arsenic levels

An environmental group in Nova Scotia says a gold mine is responsible for high levels of arsenic in waterways nearby. Members of Water is Life Nova Scotia have been doing regular water testing near the tailings dam at the Touquoy Gold Mine located in Moose River, about 65 kilometres northeast of Halifax. What they discovered in late August near Scraggy Lake, which is located next to the mine, prompted them to come back and take more water samples.

Watershed groups urge P.E.I. to keep road salt away from waterways

Watershed groups urge P.E.I. to keep road salt away from waterways

Watershed groups on P.E.I. have created education campaigns encouraging Islanders to use less road salt — and keep it out of waterways — because of the impact on animals and the environment. The Trout River Environmental Committee (TREC) launched its campaign last week, in partnership with the Wheatley River Improvement Group. "The purpose is mostly just to raise awareness of the issue. A lot of people don't know the impacts of road salt, so we wanted to get the word out," said Shayla Steinhoff, project manager for TREC. 

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