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.
Around 670 workers who operate Metro Vancouver's five wastewater treatment plants, monitor air quality and build infrastructure stopped work Monday and are picketing as they seek a new collective agreement from their employer. "Our members are dedicated to their jobs, and deserve a collective agreement that reflects the service they provide to Metro Vancouver," said the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees' Union (GVRDEU) in a release.
Growing up, I was always surrounded by the serene beauty of lakes. From family picnics by the shores of Lake Ontario to my first canoeing experience in the pristine waters of Lake Louise, lakes have been an integral part of my identity. Their vastness, depth, and the life they support have always fascinated me. Today, I invite you on a journey to explore some of the most interesting facts about Canadian lakes, interwoven with personal memories and reflections.
The International Atomic Energy Agency and experts from China, South Korea and Canada on Monday collected seawater samples near the crippled Fukushima nuclear complex in northeastern Japan following the release of treated radioactive water from the site, the Japanese government said. The team is visiting Japan through Oct. 23 to corroborate the country's marine monitoring amid safety concerns over the water release, which began late August. China has sharply reacted to the discharge by imposing a blanket ban on Japanese seafood imports. In addition to seawater, the team will collect samples of seabed sediment and fish and compare the levels of tritium and other radioactive substances from those taken last year, according to Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority.
“Watering is an ongoing activity,” said Chris Reid, executive gardener with Community Garden Builders. “Some gardeners post signs that say ‘please water me’ to invite neighbours to help.” With much of B.C. in the grip of drought, Metro Vancouver reservoirs, which supply the region’s tap water, were at their lowest level for September in a decade. Rain at the end of the month and into October has since increased levels to about the same as 2021.
Water is life, water is food, leave no one behind. That’s the theme of a conference taking place in Vancouver Monday that brings together experts and policymakers to tackle water scarcity, and to find ways to protect this vital resource as the planet heats up from global warming. UBC, SFU and the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization are hosting the official North America World Food Day event at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue.
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.
The Canadian Columbia Basin, which supplies fresh water to millions of people in Canada and the United States, is under threat due to climate change, according to Living Lakes Canada (LLC). LLC is a registered charity affiliated with the German Global Nature Fund’s Living Lakes International, a global network of organizations that work to enhance, protect, restore and rehabilitate freshwater areas around the globe.
The City of Fredericton is looking to raise water and sewer rates for residents next year following this year's freeze in rates. The increase, if ultimately approved by councillors, would see the monthly bill for the average Fredericton household go from $73.47 to $78.17 per month, said Alicia Keating, the city's treasurer. "Not everyone is going to see the same rate change based on your bill — what you consume and what you don't — but when we look at the total average customer base of what we have, they'll see an average increase of four and a half dollars to their monthly sewer rate," said Keating, speaking during a council-in-committee open budget meeting on Tuesday.
A new agreement between the federal government and the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq in Nova Scotia will allow Mi’kmaw First Nations to manage and control their housing and infrastructure. "Since 2015, we have been working in a nation-to-nation partnership with Indigenous Peoples to advance self-determination,” said Patty Hajdu, minister of Indigenous Services. “Whether for water and health or housing and infrastructure, Indigenous communities must have the tools to decide for themselves. Today is an important step on this journey.”
On a rock-covered beach in the heart of the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario, Alex Moonias gazes east, then north. All he sees is undisturbed land, water and air. Some 100 kilometres from where he stands, the province plans to build a road as part of its pledge to mine the area, which is said to be rich in metals needed for electric vehicle batteries.
Over the course of the program, each intern accumulated 1,800 hours of on-the-job experience in water treatment plants, which is a part of the water operator in training (OIT) certification process. Interns also pursued additional water operator certification exams including water quality analyst and the entry-level course for drinking water operators, as well as other technical training like GIS and water sampling, which can lead to work in water treatment and the environmental water field.
When Autumn Peltier was 12 years old, she made headlines for speaking out about the lack of clean water in Indigenous communities. Since then, she's become a world-renowned water rights advocate. Her inspiring story is now being told in a new children's book, Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior, written by New York Times-bestselling author Carole Lindstrom, with hopes of inspiring young readers to join in the movement for change.
From green roofs in Toronto to Vancouver’s rain city strategy, Canadian cities are looking to become sponges in order to help mitigate some of the effects of extreme rainfalls. In Montreal, Mayor Valerie Plante announced last week that the city plans to develop some 30 additional sponge parks designed to catch and absorb rainwater and keep it from flowing into overburdened sewers during extreme rain.
For discharge, spills, and waste, river currents carry these pollutants downstream. While sometimes diluted, the pollutants barely break down and begin to fill banks and sediment. It disrupts river ecosystems and lessens the quality of potable water in the Canadian wilderness. Furthermore, the spills that happen include toxic chemicals that natural processes can’t break down. This results in a complete loss of habitat for many aquatic animals.
Then, over the headset, Melnick swore. “Oh my God,” he said. “It’s a shipwreck.” Eighty-five metres below their boat sat a large wooden ship, in waters so crystal clear that the image on screen looked like a toy ship preserved in a bottle. The ship was almost perfectly intact—with one catch. Over every part of its exterior, the distinctive yellow-brown-black shells of quagga mussels formed a solid crust, including over the stern where the boat should have borne her name. Half-sunk into the sand nearby lay a ceramic teacup, without so much as a crack.
How much time do you spend in the shower? Does one hour, two hours, even four hours sound long to you? According to many users on TikTok, a subsection of the #ShowerTok trend is touting something called the “Everything Shower.” This type of shower typically lasts between two and four hours. The idea is you use the time for washing, exfoliating, moisturizing and shaving.
Even though Wheatley, Ont., residents are relieved that a three-week boil water advisory has now been lifted, some like Terry Lobzun say the whole ordeal adds to the mistrust and uncertainty they feel about the future of their community. As of Wednesday evening, the municipality of Chatham-Kent and its public health unit rescinded a boil water advisory for Tilbury and Wheatley. The alert was in place for about 8,500 residents in both communities after a fire broke out at the Wheatley Water Treatment Plant on Sept. 13.
The CGS review pegs the start of the emergency at Oct. 12, 2021. It does not concern itself with the City of Iqaluit’s response to the initial reports of fuel-tainted water. DPRA reached out to 35 people to take part in the review. Nineteen responded. Of 13 current and former city officials who were asked to participate, five took part. The report does not identify who did or did not participate. It describes broken equipment and disagreements between the city and GN leading to delays in handling the crisis.
A Brock water expert is among the members of a new international research centre working for climate change adaptation in the Great Lakes region. Associate Professor Julia Baird with Brock’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre is part of a team conducting research through the Global Center for Understanding Climate Change Impacts, which is based at the University of Michigan.
When wildfires threatened Lytton First Nation in 2021, Warren Brown was essential in protecting his community’s water supply by staying behind—as others evacuated to safety—to ensure the water treatment plants remained up and running. He wanted to do everything he could to ensure his community had safe and clean drinking water to come home to. Warren’s commitment to caring for his community’s clean water supply continues to play a significant role in protecting their health and safety.
