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

The tasty case for making drought-friendly snacks

The tasty case for making drought-friendly snacks

In the last few years, droughts across Europe and in the U.S. have caused crop yields to drop significantly, while population growth puts serious pressure on the global freshwater supplies that help power our agriculture industries. These conditions have forced everyone in the food business, from grower to retailer, to think about how best to use and maintain what limited resources are available—and that includes a new wave of snack companies that are turning to drought-resistant crops for ingredient inspiration.

River Institute, City of Cornwall and Watersheds Canada Receive Funding

River Institute, City of Cornwall and Watersheds Canada Receive Funding

The River Institute, in partnership with the City of Cornwall, and Watersheds Canada recently received funding to restore and naturalize two sites in Lamoureux Park, Rotary Creek and Rotary Point. Rotary Creek is a 257m stream that connects the historic Cornwall Canal to the St. Lawrence River. It is populated by a variety of species and provides spawning habitat for perch, bass, and chinook salmon. It is also home to the largest documented population of the cutlip minnow, a threatened species at risk in Ontario. In recent years, Rotary Creek has been impacted by invasive phragmites, which have spread and displaced native plants along the shoreline.

City of Nanaimo residents advised to be conscious of water use as spring progresses

City of Nanaimo residents advised to be conscious of water use as spring progresses

Following some drier weather recently, City of Nanaimo officials are advising residents to be cautious with water consumption as spring progresses. Mike Squire, city water resources manager, said the Jump Creek reservoir is 91 per cent full currently, which is above average and trending upward. The snowpack is at about 2.4 metres, which is slightly below the median historical average, he said, and while there was a lot of snow in December, precipitation has been down in March.

In a first, EPA survey puts a number on lead pipes around U.S.

In a first, EPA survey puts a number on lead pipes around U.S.

Some 9.2 million lead pipes carry water into homes across the U.S., with more in Florida than any other state, according to a new Environmental Protection Agency survey that will dictate how billions of dollars to find and replace those pipes are spent. The survey released Tuesday was the first time the agency asked about lead pipes and gave the best count yet of how many are underground. Florida, with an estimated 1.16 million pipes, was a surprise to one expert. Industrial states like Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania are more typically associated with extensive lead pipe issues.

Looks like Sault got a hub snub from Canada Water Agency

Looks like Sault got a hub snub from Canada Water Agency

It’s been nearly one week since local officials learned the federal government chose Winnipeg over Sault Ste. Marie as the host city for the Canada Water Agency (CWA) headquarters. Disappointed by the decision, members of the CWA task force in town remained hopeful the Sault could still have some involvement with the federal agency by hosting a regional hub.

It’s not just oceans rising. It’s groundwater, too

It’s not just oceans rising. It’s groundwater, too

Beneath our feet there is an invisible ocean. Within the cracks of rock slabs, sand and soil, this water sinks, swells and flows — sometimes just a few feet under the surface, sometimes 30,000 feet below. This system of groundwater provides a vital supply for drinking and irrigation, and feeds into rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Across the globe, it contains 100 times as much fresh water than all the world’s rivers and lakes combined.

Sudbury researchers begin to tackle mining on the moon

Sudbury researchers begin to tackle mining on the moon

Meanwhile, China has successfully landed a spacecraft on the far side of the moon, and samples brought back from its 2020 mission have revealed a new source of water that could be used in future explorations. “Water was embedded in tiny glass beads in the lunar dirt where meteorite impacts occur,” according to a recent Associated Press story. While mining these beads might be a challenge and their water content is minuscule, they do exist in vast numbers and could yield a substantial amount of H20.

Building the Infrastructure Canada Needs: the Government of Canada successfully works with provincial and territorial partners to invest more than $33 billion in projects across the country

Building the Infrastructure Canada Needs: the Government of Canada successfully works with provincial and territorial partners to invest more than $33 billion in projects across the country

To date, the Government of Canada’s investments have improved access to safe drinking water by building or rehabilitating over 1,000 water and wastewater systems, strengthened communities with 800 projects to improve cultural and recreational spaces, and enhanced public transit systems by acquiring over 4,200 public transit vehicles like buses, subway cars and light rail transit trains.

Record California snowpack bounty poses renewed flood risks

Record California snowpack bounty poses renewed flood risks

California's recent spate of epic Pacific storms has blanketed the Sierra Nevada range in a snowpack at or above record levels, state water resource officials said on Monday at a measuring station where less than 3 inches was documented last April. The bounty of mountain snow, on which California has long relied as a critical natural storehouse of fresh water during dry weather, comes as welcome relief after three years of record drought that had still gripped the state a few months ago.

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.

Total cost of upgrades to Winnipeg's largest sewage-treatment plant now pegged at $2.2 billion

Total cost of upgrades to Winnipeg's largest sewage-treatment plant now pegged at $2.2 billion

The total cost of upgrades to the largest of Winnipeg's sewage treatment plants has risen to $2.2 billion and will likely increase further, according to city financial status reports and previous budget documents. This is leading to renewed concerns about the cash required to continue improvements to the North End Water Pollution Control Centre, which processes sewage from the Kildonans, Transcona, Elmwood, the North End, the West End, downtown neighbourhoods and parts of River Heights, St. James and St. Boniface. 

Canada Water Agency to be located in Winnipeg

Canada Water Agency to be located in Winnipeg

If you’re looking to locate ground zero for water issues on a map of Canada, just stick a pin a few kilometres east of Winnipeg. From frequent major flooding on two major rivers to the polluting of the seventh largest freshwater lake in the world, to farmers’ struggles with saturation and drought, to chronic problems with water quality on Indigenous reserves, water is often a top-of-mind issue in the province.

What the decline of mountain snow cover means for Canada

What the decline of mountain snow cover means for Canada

This winter brought a healthy snowpack to many mountain peaks in North America. California experienced record snow, at times burying communities and ski hills and in Canada, skiers and snowboarders enjoyed the powder this season, with British Columbia experiencing a flush of late-season snow putting snowpacks right around normal. But despite this snowy winter in the mountains, climate change is taking its toll on our slopes.

A global movement is granting rivers legal personhood. Could the Gatineau River be next?

A global movement is granting rivers legal personhood. Could the Gatineau River be next?

A global movement to grant rivers legal personhood recently reached Canada, and a local Indigenous leader is asking whether the Gatineau River could be next. Former Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg chief Gilbert Whiteduck said such legal designation would provide the Gatineau River better environmental protection, and he's "pushing" to make it a reality. The movement, which is largely led by Indigenous communities, environmental groups and scientists, is designed to afford rivers and other ecological features stronger legal protections by granting them rights normally reserved for people.

Major overhaul begins at OPG’s R.H. Saunders hydroelectric project

Major overhaul begins at OPG’s R.H. Saunders hydroelectric project

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has launched a 16-year overhaul of the 1045MW R.H. Saunders Generating Station, the second-largest hydroelectric project in Ontario, Canada. The project began in January, with the first of the station’s 16 units, G9, now fully disassembled, with refurbishment set to be completed by early 2024. The overhauls of the rest of the station’s units will occur each subsequent year until the project wraps up by around 2039.

Tunisia to cut off public water supplies overnight due to drought

Tunisia to cut off public water supplies overnight due to drought

Tunisia will cut off water supplies to citizens for seven hours a night in response to the country's worst drought on record, state water distribution company SONEDE said in a statement on Friday. The country's agriculture ministry earlier introduced a quota system for potable water and banned its use in agriculture until Sept. 30, as the country battles with a drought that is now in its fourth year.

Mainland has shut off its own water supply, calling it undrinkable. The government says it's fine

Mainland has shut off its own water supply, calling it undrinkable. The government says it's fine

The local service district for Mainland, on Newfoundland's Port au Port Peninsula, has shut off its water supply, claiming it's undrinkable, and blaming the development of a wind energy project in the area. Dwight Cornect, director of the local service district, says LeCointre's Brook, the community's secondary water source, is discoloured. "The water is brown," Cornect said Thursday. He said he doesn't accept the government's assurances that the water has been tested and has no issues.

Antarctic Ocean Currents Headed For Collapse, Driving 'mass Slowdown' In Water Circulation

Antarctic Ocean Currents Headed For Collapse, Driving 'mass Slowdown' In Water Circulation

The rapid melting of Antarctic ice poses a threat to halt deep ocean currents, which would have a negative impact on the climate, the movement of fresh water and oxygen, as well as nutrients necessary for life, for centuries, as per claims from the scientific community, reported by DW. Deep ocean currents surrounding Antarctica may slow by more than 40% over the course of the next 30 years, according to a recent study that was published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. According to the study, in a high-emission scenario, the "overturning circulation" of the ocean's deep waters will reduce by 40% by 2050, with consequences lasting "for generations to come."

Why Peterborough residents should drink tap water rather than bottled water

Why Peterborough residents should drink tap water rather than bottled water

Drinking water, for many Peterborough residents, comes from the tap. The source of this tap water is our treasured Otonabee river. But many people get their drinking water from grocery and convenience stores. In 2022, according to Statista, it was forecast that Canadians spent $6.09 billion dollars on bottled water. Bottled water is a major environmental issue related to climate change and plastic pollution. In 2023, we witness stressors regarding the rising cost of living, news about our environment, and research that indicates even our bodies contain microplastics.

Campaign aims to get an Indigenous woman on Canada’s $20 bill – Wiikwemkoong Elder included

Campaign aims to get an Indigenous woman on Canada’s $20 bill – Wiikwemkoong Elder included

A Wiikwemkoong Elder could be featured on Canada’s $20 bill following a campaign to have an Indigenous woman featured on the note. CEO of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, Lynne Groulx, says they launched the “Change the Bill” in January, a campaign aiming to get an Indigenous woman featured on the  bill to acknowledge contributions made in Canada.

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