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

Catherine McKenna

Current and former federal ministers lash out against Premier Moe

Current and former federal ministers lash out against Premier Moe

After weeks of back and forth between the federal government and the Sask. Party on accusations of federal workers going onto private farmland without permission to take water samples, Canada’s current and former environment ministers are firing back at Premier Scott Moe. Former Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada, Catherine McKenna, took to Twitter to say Moe chooses to make up false narratives to then “slam and discredit” the federal government while eroding democracy in the process by spreading conspiracies.

Chief Rickard announces funding to upgrade water systems

Chief Rickard announces funding to upgrade water systems

Chief Rickard has announced last night that Garden River First Nation has received $2.8M to upgrade the water lines in the community. The original lines were installed 50 years ago with minimal resources and funding. The upgrades will include the Ojibway subdivision, including the Green Sky, Gemah and Shingwauk Street area. “This project will continue to protect one of our most sacred gifts and necessities of life- access to clean and safe water for our people. Our goal is to strive for future infrastructure improvements throughout the community,” Chief Rickard comments in the press release.

Pays Plat, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First Nations, receive government funding for water treatment

Pays Plat, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First Nations, receive government funding for water treatment

Two First Nation in northwestern are getting funding from both levels of government to improve drinking water in their communities. The federal government is giving $3.7 million in funding to Pays Plat First Nation and Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, formerly known as the Ojibways of Pic River. The money will also be used for construction of a new water treatment plant for Biigtigong Nishnaabeg. The province also announced they were contributing $908,443 to the project through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada plan.

400 billion gallons of raw sewage was dumped into Canadian water

400 billion gallons of raw sewage was dumped into Canadian water

Canadian municipalities are dumping an estimated 400 billion gallons of raw sewage every year. Quebec is the worst offender—leading all other provinces in their failure to meet federal water safety regulations, according to documents obtained through an access to information request by news outlet Blacklock’s Reporter. The Department of the Environment stated that of the 3.4 billion cubic metres flushed per year across Canada, 374 billion gallons went untreated and did not meet the limits. The department’s researchers also predict the actual discharges are likely much higher. 

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