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

New Water, Wastewater Infrastructure

New Water, Wastewater Infrastructure

The Province is investing more than $3.5 million in water and wastewater infrastructure in Kings County. “Reliable infrastructure is the foundation for building strong, sustainable communities,” said John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “We are pleased to fund these projects to upgrade the water distribution and wastewater collection systems to ensure they are reliable and safe. With these investments, we are also investing in the sustainability and growth of these communities.”

Rain could soon overtake snow in parts of the Arctic, top scientists warn

Rain could soon overtake snow in parts of the Arctic, top scientists warn

Some parts of the Arctic don't look very polar anymore. Many regions are likely transforming from snowfall- to rainfall-dominant climates, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "At the fringes, the transition is essentially occurring already," John Walsh, chief scientist at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said in a briefing at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union on Tuesday.

Canada plans to welcome millions of immigrants. Can our aging infrastructure keep up?

Canada plans to welcome millions of immigrants. Can our aging infrastructure keep up?

The Canadian population just blew past 39 million, and the country is only going to get bigger: Ottawa announced in November it wants to bring in a half-million more immigrants each year. The population grows apace, our infrastructure — governmental and private — is struggling to keep up. And it’s a story playing out across Canada. Few young people can afford a home, we’re all stuck on gridlocked roads or jammed into buses and subways, and our hospitals are overcrowded. Climate change will only further weaken infrastructure that is crumbling in many parts of the country. And Canada isn’t particularly known for getting stuff done quickly anymore.

Cape Breton group, non-profit environmental association at odds over Glace Bay dam waterway

Cape Breton group, non-profit environmental association at odds over Glace Bay dam waterway

A dispute is heating up between a Glace Bay fishing group and a Cape Breton non-profit environmental organization, and tying in a local MLA and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality over what’s being described as alleged toxicity in the water of a community dam. Donald McNeil, president of the Glace Bay-based #20 Dam Fishing Association, is claiming the water spilling through #20 Dam, located near a body of water that’s part of John Bernard Croak Memorial Park, contains “high levels of fecal coliform, a potentially dangerous bacteria, to both humans and animals,” based on a series of tests McNeil’s group conducted this past summer.

Independent investigation into Iqaluit water crisis has not yet begun

Independent investigation into Iqaluit water crisis has not yet begun

Nunavut's health department says it has not yet begun its third party review into last year's water crisis in Iqaluit. In October 2021, the city went nearly two months without clean tap water after hydrocarbons were detected in the city's water supply and ultimately traced to the water treatment plant. A "do not consume" order from territorial health officials was lifted in December, after a bypass had been set up at the plant.

Water desalination market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.2% by 2032: Visiongain Reports Ltd

Water desalination market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.2% by 2032: Visiongain Reports Ltd

Visiongain has published a new report entitled Water Desalination 2022-2032. It includes profiles of Water Desalination and Forecasts Market Segment by Source (Seawater, Brackish Water, Others (Wastewater, Ground Water)), by Technology (Reverse Osmosis (RO), Multi-Stage Flash Distillation (MSF), Multi-Effect Distillation (MED), Hybrid, Electrodialysis (ED), Others) by Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America, and Middle East & Africa), Plus Analysis of Leading Companies operating in this industry plus COVID-19 Impact Analysis and Recovery Pattern Analysis (“V”-shaped, “W”-shaped, “U”-shaped, “L”-shaped), Profiles of Leading Companies, Region and Country. 

Experts root for agrivoltaics to solve clean energy, agricultural needs

Experts root for agrivoltaics to solve clean energy, agricultural needs

Mindorff discussed the benefits of agrivoltaics, which he described as a hybrid agricultural system that maximizes land use and reduces water consumption while providing clean and affordable energy. Among the benefits is the potential to increase crop yields, while reducing water and fertilizer requirements as well as provide growers with additional income generated through selling solar electricity. 

State of emergency declared amid water shortage in Oneida Nation of the Thames

State of emergency declared amid water shortage in Oneida Nation of the Thames

Leaders of an Indigenous community near London, Ont., are calling for the federal government to work with them to help solve chronic water supply problems after a state of emergency was issued Tuesday due to low water levels. Residents of Oneida Nation of the Thames are under an order to conserve water and limit its use with the community's water tower at an all-time low. The tower is the primary source of water for the 546 homes and 22 buildings in the territory.

Coastal communities in Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula fight ravaging seas, climate change by retreating Social Sharing

Coastal communities in Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula fight ravaging seas, climate change by retreating Social Sharing

Against the ravaging seas, Quebec's coastal communities have learned through bitter experience that the way to advance against climate change is to retreat. Over the past decade, civilization has been pulled back from the water's edge where possible along the eastern stretch of the Gaspé Peninsula where coastline is particularly vulnerable to erosion. Defences erected against the sea ages ago have been dismantled, rock by rock, concrete chunk by chunk.

Canada invests to make Edmonton more resilient to flood risks

Canada invests to make Edmonton more resilient to flood risks

Today, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, and the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor of the City of Edmonton, announced more than $22 million in federal funding to help to reduce flood risk and damage in Edmonton. The project includes improvements that will help mitigate potential flooding hazards at the city's Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant. Three new backwater prevention outfall gates will prevent river water from flowing back into the wastewater treatment plant during storm events, and a flood barrier along the northern edge of the plant will minimize flooding risks.

In The News for Dec. 19: Can the world save its own biodiversity?

In The News for Dec. 19: Can the world save its own biodiversity?

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of Monday, Dec. 19 … What we are watching in Canada … Negotiators in Montreal have finalized an agreement to halt and reverse the destruction of nature by 2030, as the COP15 talks enter their final official day.

infinitii ai signs national distribution agreement with U.S. water industry's Core & Main

infinitii ai signs national distribution agreement with U.S. water industry's Core & Main

Vancouver-based infinitii ai inc. ("infinitii ai") (CSE: IAI) (FSE: 7C5) (OTC: CDTAF) today announced it has signed a national distribution agreement for infinitii flowworks predictive analytics software for Smart City water and wastewater infrastructure utilities with Core & Main Inc. (NYSE: CNM). "Core & Main's Core+ solutions are leading edge, high value digital platforms for Smart Cities, and we're honored to be an integral part of them," said Jean Charles Phaneuf, CEO of infinitii ai. "Core & Main is a national player in the water and wastewater industry in the U.S. operating over 300 branches nationwide, making them an extraordinary strategic partner for us."

Great Bear Lake agreement gives 'us the ability to actually sit at the table, says Délįnę chief

Great Bear Lake agreement gives 'us the ability to actually sit at the table, says Délįnę chief

The Délįnę Got'įnę government and its federal and territorial counterparts have agreed on further protection for Great Bear Lake or TsáTué, a UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserve. The new agreement will enhance conservation of the area and will lead to long-term funding. It also formally recognizes the Sahtugot'ine's millennia-long stewardship in the Northwest Territories region. "It's a step in the right direction," said Danny Gaudet, the Délįnę Got'įnę government's Ɂek'wahtı̨dǝ́ or chief. "It's finally given us the ability to actually sit at the table to talk about the preservation of water, the lake, and the water bed and the land in and around Great Bear Lake."

Green False-Creek utility to extend reach of its green heat and hot water

Green False-Creek utility to extend reach of its green heat and hot water

The City of Vancouver has signed up suppliers to expand its False Creek Neighbourhood Utility that provides heat and hot water around the Olympic Village, which will triple its existing footprint. The $100 million project will see Vancouver expand the system, which harvests waste heat from hot water running through sewage pipes as a key emissions-reduction measure, from 3.2 megawatts to 9.8 megawatts. And its capacity will be increased from servicing 600,000 square metres of building space, including Science World and Emily Carr University of Art and Design, to an additional 1.9 million square metres of new development in the Southeast False Creek, False Creek Flats, Northeast False Creek and Mount Pleasant.

Prince Rupert declares local state of emergency over water main breaks, supply interruptions

Prince Rupert declares local state of emergency over water main breaks, supply interruptions

Prince Rupert declared a local state of emergency Saturday, as city officials said in a new release that there were three breaks in local water mains and multiple service interruptions that started early that morning. Herb Pond, the city's mayor, says six of the city's major water pipes have burst in the past week. "We have a very old water system," he said in an interview. "Much of the pipes are well over 100 years old." Pond says the ground in the area is mostly rock and muskeg with very little soil,causing the pipes to shift and be more susceptible to damage, especially as they get older.

Environment targets are job half-done, say charities

Environment targets are job half-done, say charities

New environmental targets set by the government are a "job half-done" and will fail to halt nature's decline, say charities. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs published the goals on Friday after a six-week delay. The legally-binding targets promise to tackle major problems like the loss of animals and plants, and air pollution. But critics say that crucial targets to protect water quality and natural sites are missing.

Rising construction costs hurting N.L. communities trying to upgrade infrastructure

Rising construction costs hurting N.L. communities trying to upgrade infrastructure

With inflation driving construction costs higher than in previous years, local service distracts are having trouble coming up with the 10 per cent in funding they need to tackle important infrastructure upgrades. When small communities and local service districts in Newfoundland and Labrador need to build roads or water treatment plants, most of the cost is covered by the provincial government. But some districts have started to run into problems, when jobs can no longer be done for the amount of money available by the time tenders go out.

Drinking water deemed unsafe aboard new Arctic patrol ships

Drinking water deemed unsafe aboard new Arctic patrol ships

The Royal Canadian Navy is providing sailors aboard Canada's new arctic patrol ships with bottled water to drink after tests showed increased levels of lead in the ships’ water systems. Water quality concerns aboard the newest fleet of artic patrol ships have revealed lead contamination in the navy ship's water system and were first detected on the HMCS Harry DeWolf.

Montreal Astronomers Spot Possible Water-Rich Exoplanets

Montreal Astronomers Spot Possible Water-Rich Exoplanets

Water wasn’t directly detected, but by comparing the sizes and masses of the planets to models, they conclude that a significant fraction of their volume — up to half of it — should be made of materials that are lighter than rock but heavier than hydrogen or helium (which constitute the bulk of gas giant planets like Jupiter). The most common of these candidate materials is water.

Battle stations, everyone

Canada has lifted 137 long-term drinking water advisories on reserves since November 2015. That’s equal to 82 percent of long-term advisories in the last seven years, the government claims. Still, the Liberals fell short of their promise to lift all drinking water advisories by March 2021. There are currently 31 long-term advisories still in place in 27 communities. And a document tabled this week in the House of Commons shows the work doesn’t end once an advisory is lifted. According to the document, tabled in answer to a question from Conservative MP GARY VIDAL, four First Nations have seen long-term drinking water advisories recur on five water systems that previously had advisories lifted.

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