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.
After years of boil water advisories, clean drinking water is a reality for two northwestern Ontario Indigenous communities. A new water treatment plant in Regina Bay went online at the end of August, bringing an end to boil water advisories in the community. Another water treatment plant is nearing completion in Windigo Island, where the boil water advisory is expected to be lifted in early October.
