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

City of Hamilton

Dundas water main break repairs cost $85,997.31 in 2022

Dundas water main break repairs cost $85,997.31 in 2022

Twelve City of Hamilton water main breaks in Dundas last year cost $85,997.31 to repair, with 32 per cent of that money spent on two large breaks at Grant Boulevard and Market Street South. The 2022 water main Break report to city’s March 20 Public Works Committee had incorrect dates for all 12 reported municipal breaks, originally reporting all 12 breaks took place within a two-week stretch of March 22. The list was later corrected, indicating Dundas water main breaks in January (3), February, March, August (2) and December (5) last year.

Ontario orders Hamilton to improve sewage monitoring after spill into Lake Ontario. News Jani

Ontario orders Hamilton to improve sewage monitoring after spill into Lake Ontario. News Jani

Ontario orders Hamilton to improve sewage monitoring after spill into Lake Ontario. Ontario’s Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has issued a provincial officer order to the City of Hamilton to improve the way it inspects its sewage system, following the discovery of two recent large-scale spills. The two spillways collectively saw an estimated 396 million liters of wastewater flow into Lake Ontario since 1996.

Ontario issues order for Hamilton to improve sewage monitoring after spills into Lake Ontario

Ontario issues order for Hamilton to improve sewage monitoring after spills into Lake Ontario

Ontario's Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has issued the City of Hamilton a provincial officer's order to improve the way it inspects its sewage system, after the recent discovery of two massive spills. The two spills saw an estimated combined total of 396 million litres of wastewater flow into Lake Ontario since 1996. The order, issued on Jan. 18, isn't the audit of the entire sewage system that the province's environment minister said in late November he asked for — but the order does criticize the city's current procedures and offers a timeline for the city to review and improve how it monitors its sewage system.

City of Hamilton says 59 million more litres of wastewater flowed into Lake Ontario

City of Hamilton says 59 million more litres of wastewater flowed into Lake Ontario

The City of Hamilton says roughly 59 million litres of sewage had flowed from 11 homes near Rutherford Avenue and Myrtle Avenue straight into Lake Ontario since 1996. "City staff developed this estimate based on the water meter usage data from the 11 properties connected to the combined sewer pipe," reads a release, which adds this method was identified as the most accurate way to represent the discharge. The city confirmed the sewage leak on Monday during a risk-based proactive inspection program prompted by a separate, 337-million-litre sewage spill discovered in late November.

Indigenous water walkers and Haudenosaunee Development Institute ask Hamilton to listen amid sewage spill

Indigenous water walkers and Haudenosaunee Development Institute ask Hamilton to listen amid sewage spill

When Kristen Villebrun heard the City of Hamilton recently discovered sewage has been flowing into the harbour for the past 26 years, she was upset. Villebrun said she and other Indigenous water walkers have complained about sewage in the water there for years. "I'm sick of talking and it falling on deaf ears,"said Villebrun, an Anishinaabe woman who is also known as Wassode nibi kwe (Shining Water Woman).

Hamilton estimates 337 million litres of sewage spilled into harbourfront since 1996

Hamilton estimates 337 million litres of sewage spilled into harbourfront since 1996

The City of Hamilton estimates 337 million litres of sewage — roughly 135 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of sewage — flowed into the harbour since 1996. That's roughly 13 million litres per year for 26 years. "City staff developed this estimate based on the water meter usage data for all of the properties connected to the combined sewer pipe," read a media release from the city on Monday morning, adding this method was identified as the most accurate way to represent the discharge over the 26 years.

City of Hamilton discovers 26-year leak of sewage into Hamilton Harbour

City of Hamilton discovers 26-year leak of sewage into Hamilton Harbour

The City of Hamilton says it has just discovered sewage has been leaking into the Hamilton Harbour for 26 years because of a hole in a combined sewage pipe in the industrial sector. It's unclear how much sewage has spilled into the harbour. But Nick Winters, director of Hamilton Water, told reporters on Tuesday afternoon "it's going to be a big number," adding the city will publicly release the number as soon as they have it.

Hamilton asks Ontario for 1 more year to clean up Chedoke Creek spill amid Haudenosaunee dispute

Hamilton asks Ontario for 1 more year to clean up Chedoke Creek spill amid Haudenosaunee dispute

The City of Hamilton is asking the Ontario government to extend the deadline to clean up the sewage in Chedoke Creek by a year — to Dec. 31, 2023 — because of demonstrations from representatives of the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI). It's also asking the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to issue an order to HDI to prevent the group from causing any further disruptions as it tries to meet ministry orders to clean up the 24-billion-litre sewage spill, a leak that took place over four years.

City of Hamilton resumes dredging of Chedoke Creek — without Haudenosaunee consent

City of Hamilton resumes dredging of Chedoke Creek — without Haudenosaunee consent

The city of Hamilton has resumed cleaning Chedoke Creek and, despite a request, won't consult the local Haudenosaunee community, on whose traditional lands the creek sits, before the dredging begins again. The dredging of the creek after a spill of 24 billion litres of sewage and stormwater into the water was planned to begin Aug. 22. It was paused to allow for consultation with the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) on how it may impact treaty rights and the environment.

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