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

Dunk River

Taking water from stressed rivers during drought not allowed under new P.E.I. Water Act, says official

Taking water from stressed rivers during drought not allowed under new P.E.I. Water Act, says official

An incident last summer where water was drawn for irrigation from the Dunk River in central P.E.I. during a drought would not be allowed under the new Water Act, says the province's manager of water and air monitoring. Bruce Raymond made the comments while appearing before a standing committee of the legislature. Last summer, five farmers in the Kinkora-Bedeque region were allowed to use surface water in the Dunk in August despite that waterway being 5 centimetres below levels when water use should be cut off, according to current provincial regulations.

After drought last year, holding ponds may be best way forward, says expert

After drought last year, holding ponds may be best way forward, says expert

The P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture is asking the province to create an Island-wide irrigation strategy to help protect farmers at risk of losing crops or having crop damage due to drought. "Last summer is an example of a growing season where it's simply not sustainable for us to grow crops of any kind without water," said executive director Robert Godfrey.

P.E.I.'s new Water Act won't protect rivers if province still allows pumping during droughts, group says

P.E.I.'s new Water Act won't protect rivers if province still allows pumping during droughts, group says

The Coalition for the Protection of P.E.I. Water is concerned the Water Act might not improve things if the province goes against its own rules, as it did approving farmers' use of surface water for irrigation from the Dunk River during a drought last August. "What worries us is when there are demands for water, is the government going to bend and break their own rules?" said coalition chair Catherine O'Brien.

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