WATER NEWS 2/5

Canada Water news roundup

City applies for grant funding for water meters

The City of Fernie is pursuing a new provincial pilot program with grant funding that would cover the cost of water meters for homes and businesses. 

City council voted to apply for the program in a January council meeting in a split 4-3 vote, with mayor Nic Milligan and councillors Kyle Hamilton, Kevin McIsaac and Troy Nixon in favour of pursuing grant funding, and councillors Ted Shoesmith, Tracey Audia-Kelly and Harsh Ramadass opposed. 

If the application is successful, the B.C Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs Water Meter Pilot Program would cover the entirety of the cost for the purchase and installation of water meters throughout Fernie, up to $5 million per project. Water meters would be installed inside homes and businesses, allowing residents to track their individual water usage. Under this new system, residents would be billed by volume of water rather than with a flat rate. (The Free Press)

BC

Here's where, when Delta's watermain flushing takes place

The City of Delta’s annual watermain flushing is now underway.

To conclude April 30, the process will involve select areas of North Delta, Ladner and Tsawwassen within certain dates, although the city notes that in some cases the scheduled dates and locations may be altered due to unforeseen circumstances.

The city also notes that the flushing process may result in residents’ water supply showing sediment and discolouration. The city advises that if that appears, run the cold water tap at the highest point in a premises for approximately 20 minutes or until it clears.

The city is advising residents to contact the engineering department should a discolouration problem persist.(The Optimist)

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2027 date floated for commissioning new reservoir in Sechelt, B.C.

The Lower Crown Reservoir, to be built in a mined out section of the Heidelberg Material’s Sechelt minein Sechelt, British Columbia, will include a geomembrane liner underlain by a non-woven geotextile to protect the quality of the stored water.

shíshálh Nation will build the first of two reservoirs at the Heidelberg Material Mine in Sechelt, British Columbia. Photo courtesy of shíshálh Nation and Heidelberg Materials.

The Lower Crown Reservoir portion of the water security project of the shíshálh Nation in cooperation with the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is still awaiting permits to proceed, according to MP Patrick Weiler, (West Vancouver – Sunshine Coast). 

(geosyntheticsmagazine)

Okanagan Basin Water Board issues invasive mussels call to action

The Okanagan Basin Water Board is sending a message to the provincial government - increase the funding from $3.3 million to $5.5 million for 2025 to operate the provincial Invasive Mussel Defence Program (IMDP).

The question remains, however, whether anyone in Victoria is listening.

Beyond the funding request, the letter sent to Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Randene Neill also asks for mandatory inspections for all watercraft entering B.C., for B.C. to call on more fiscal support from the federal government for resources and support, for B.C, to work with Alberta to create a Western Canada Mussel Free Zone and align on penalties across provinces; and create a clear policy to limit chemical use as a rapid response. (Kelowna Capital News)

BC Hydro begins major seismic upgrade at Vancouver Island dam

Campbell River's Ladore Dam upgrade is one of three in the works along the system

BC Hydro has begun work to enable seismic upgrades at Ladore Dam, near Campbell River, marking a major milestone for dam safety projects on Vancouver Island. This upgrade will ensure Ladore Dam continues to safely hold and pass water downstream in case of a major earthquake or flood.

"The Ladore Spillway Seismic Upgrade Project will allow us to maintain public safety and reliability post-earthquake," says Adrian Dix, minister of energy and climate solutions. “This critical project will also benefit local fish and wildlife habitats, as well as downstream domestic water supply.” (Victoria News)

Columbia Basin run-off 85 per cent of normal: BC Hydro

Reservoir levels in the Lower Columbia region are fluctuating as forecasted, with changes expected in the coming weeks, according to the latest BC Hydro report.

• Arrow Lakes Reservoir is currently at 423 metres (1388 feet), having dropped 1.12 metres (3.7 feet) over the past week. It is projected to rise to 427 metres (1401 feet) by the end of February. 
• Duncan Reservoir stands at 558 metres (1832 feet), decreasing 1.72 metres (5.7 feet) in the last week. It is expected to drop further to 554 metres (1818 feet) by the end of February.
• Kootenay Lake remains stable at 531 metres (1743 feet) with no significant changes anticipated. 

According to BC Hydro, the April–September 2025 runoff forecast for the Columbia Basin at The Dalles, Oregon is 85 per cent of normal, up from 74 per cent in 2024. (Trail Times)

AB

3D groundwater mapping will help Alberta plan for uncertain future

New mapping aquifers in southern Alberta could be complete by 2027 – updating 40-year-old information – after new funding from the provincial government was announced Tuesday.

That also comes as water licensing is brought under increased focus following widespread concern over availability in 2024.

As well, municipalities have begun to align work and water resources as an industry attraction, as the water-dependent South Saskatchewan Regional Plan passes a planned 10-year update.

This week, the province announced it will provide $3.8 million to the Alberta Geologic Survey to complete a three-year study of the quality, quantity and location of groundwater in the Bow, Oldman, Milk and South Saskatchewan basins. (Medecine \Hat News)

YU

Victoria Gold might never recover from Yukon mine disaster

・Victoria Gold (TSX:VGCX) will likely be dealing with last month’s ore slide and spill of more than 300 million litres of a cyanide solution at its Eagle mine in the Yukon for years to come

・Despite the company’s containment efforts, contaminated water is flowing towards nearby Haggart Creek, putting wildlife and residents at immediate risk

・Victoria Gold is a mineral explorer and producer focused on the Yukon

・Victoria Gold stock has given back more than 90 per cent since the June 24 spill

Victoria Gold (TSX:VGCX) will likely be dealing with last month’s ore slide and spill of more than 300 million litres of a cyanide solution at its Eagle mine in the Yukon for years to come.

The spill, which occurred June 24, resulted from landslide and failure at the company’s heap leach facility, where gold is extracted from ore using a cyanide solution, and has been draining into nearby waterways for weeks.

Water samples from last month detected 0.04 mg of cyanide per litre, half of which is considered fatal for most fish species, though samples taken in early July did not detect the chemical in quantities beyond water drinking guidelines. (MSN)

New models of shared rule can secure better infrastructure in Indigenous communities

Many First Nations communities lack infrastructural security – a term for whether governments and communities have the necessary assets to promote and maintain the economic and social well-being of their members.

This problem on reserves is a “tale as old as time,” steeped in the ongoing legacies of colonialism when the Crown relocated Indigenous communities to reserves to facilitate assimilation and the economic development of their former lands.

According to the Assembly of First Nations, the federal government would have to spend at least $349 billion by 2030 to reduce the infrastructural security gap between First Nations and non-Indigenous communities.

Why does this gap persist? Part of the answer lies in the logic and practice of Canadian federalism. Daniel Elazar once argued that all federal systems are organized around one of two competing principles – self-rule or shared rule. (Policyoptions.irpp.org )

NU

Federal minister announces $6M for Iqaluit hydroelectric project

Nunavut will receive $6 million in federal funding for engineering and design work on the Iqaluit water power plant that’s being planned to replace all of the city’s diesel-generated electricity.

“By advancing local renewable energy solutions, we are helping to create good jobs, reduce emissions and strengthen energy independence for Iqaluit and the territory, ” Northern Affairs Minister Gary Anandasangaree said during an announcement Tuesday at the Aqsarniit hotel in Iqaluit.

A planned hydroelectric project with a 50-metre-high dam and a powerhouse is intended to replace diesel power for Iqaluit. (Photo courtesy of Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp.)

He spoke along with Premier P.J. Akeeagok, Qikiqtani Inuit Association president Olayuk Akesuk, Iqaluit Mayor Solomon Awa and Harry Flaherty, president and CEO of Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp., the company that wants to build the hydroelectricity generator.

The new funding builds on the $7 million in federal money provided in 2021 and will help with gathering data, navigating regulatory processes, public engagements, engineering and design, Anandasangaree said. (Nanutsiaq News)

ON

Zhiibaahaasing First Nation celebrates groundbreaking of new water treatment plant

Representatives from the Zhiibaahaasing First Nation and Indigenous Services Canada marked the official groundbreaking of the community’s new water treatment plant and major upgrades to its water distribution system.

The new water treatment plant and expanded distribution system will support reliable access to drinking water throughout the community. These upgrades are part of the broader commitment by Zhiibaahaasing First Nation to invest in the health and well-being of its people by supporting access to safe water for years to come.

Indigenous Services Canada is supporting this project with an investment of over $47 million. This investment reflects the Government of Canada’s commitment to address the long-standing challenges faced by First Nations communities regarding water security and infrastructure. (ReNew Canada)

Ontario's growing environmental crisis: how two major projects are harming the Great Lakes

Bruce Van Dieten, a member of Ontario Place for All, fondly remembers taking his kids to the iconic waterfront destination, biking as they “traversed the island,” soaking in the majestic views of the Great Lake.

“There were kids everywhere, running around. It was marvelous….I used to walk there all the time, but that was a sad, sad moment when I could no longer,” he said, recalling the jarring overnight tree cutting at Ontario Place in October.

The PC government’s hurried plan to replace Ontario Place—a vital sanctuary for 192 bird species, migratory birds, foxes, monarch butterflies, and brook trout—with a $350-million glass megaspa and water park developed by the Austrian company Therme, has left many residents and conservationists heartbroken.

One of the protestors, Natasha Lemire-Blair, who had turned up in support of Ontario Place for All on October 3, 2024 had told The Pointer she’d witnessed a “beautiful fox” flee as the trees were being chopped in front of her eyes with a “really heavy heart.”

(The Sarnia Journal)

Neskantaga marks 3 decades under boil-water advisory

It’s a special anniversary for Neskantaga First Nation, 436 kilometers northeast of Thunder Bay, but no one is celebrating.

The first day of February marks 30 years since the community was first placed under a boil-water advisory.

Neskantaga must rely on bottled water and Chief Christopher Moonias says they almost ran out in December.

“It has a long term trauma associated with it. Does the community deserve clean drinking water?” said Moonias at a press conference Friday via Zoom.

“Some of my people will say, maybe we’re not considered humans, to be able to have a clean drink and water. These are things I hear from my community members.”

(APTN News)

Ontario orders closure of St. Catharines waste plant where explosion led to worker's death

A hazardous waste facility in St. Catharines, Ont., has been ordered to permanently close after an investigation into a 2023 explosion that killed 37-year-old Ryan Konkin.

The company and its directors — Steve Baker, Sharon Baker and Tyler Baker — face a combined 21 charges from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).

The MECP said Ssonix Products must submit a closure plan by March 31 following an Ontario Land Tribunal hearing.

"Our role is to respond to incidents to assess for potential impacts to human health and the environment, and work to ensure those responsible take appropriate actions to clean up and restore the natural environment," the ministry said in a statement. (CBC)

QC

Rio Tinto fined $2M for contaminating water near Quebec mine

Company failed to treat harmful effluent, says Environment and Climate Change Canada

The Court of Quebec has ordered Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium Inc. to pay fines totalling $2 million for infractions related to the discharge of harmful effluent into waterways.

The company pled guilty to eight counts of violating the Fisheries Act and the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations, said Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in a news release Tuesday morning. 

Rio Tinto operates a mine at Lac Tio, about 43 kilometres northeast of Havre-Saint-Pierre, Que., in the Côte-Nord. (CBC)

Quebec government invests $7.6M for port improvements in Sorel-Tracy

The Government of Quebec announced funding of $7,621,487 to QSL International Ltd. for the expansion of the marine terminal in Sorel-Tracy.

The project involves the construction of a new wharf, the rehabilitation of an existing wharf and the installation of intermodal infrastructure, including a control tower and an electric overhead conveyor. The amounts invested in this project will increase the efficiency of the facilities at the Port of Sorel-Tracy and the fluidity of local maritime transport by improving the productivity of port operations.

“Our government is proud to support this project, which allows a local company to modernize its facilities and contribute even more to the dynamism of maritime transport and the agricultural industry. (ReNew \Canada)

NB

Mackie Greene: A Whale’s Hero

I grew up on Campobello Island in the bay of Fundy. Surrounded by water, and raised in a fishing village, my dream was always to become a fisherman and to be out on the water. I got my first boat when I was 13 and caught the fishing bug. When I was old enough to buy a commercial boat and start my dream job, the big fisheries collapsed. I knew I still wanted to be on the water and, as luck would have it, the whale-watching industry was just starting at the same time. There was only one other whale-watching boat at the time. I worked in that industry for 26 years.

The whole rescue thing started when we had entangled whales in our waters but no one to take care of them. So some of us whale-watching captains and fishermen went out to try and help. We didn’t have much luck, but that’s where it all began. We started working with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, who got us the proper tools and a rescue craft. Being fishermen, we are used to the marine environment, and we know how to deal with lines under strain. And in the summer, by watching whales, we learned about their behaviour. It turned out to be a good fit and in the end we had some success untangling whales.

(Whales online)

Halifax Water explains January incident at plant and resulting boil-water advisory

Halifax Water explained itself in a 44-page report to the Utility and Review Board on Tuesday, with the promise of a more fulsome document to come in March. 

The board demanded an explanation after a boil-water advisory last month inconvenienced tens of thousands of Halifax Water customers. 

There have been two interruptions to chlorine disinfection at the J.D. Kline water supply plant within the past year. The most recent was in conjunction with a planned Nova Scotia Power outage that “resulted in the main generator at the low lift pump station engaging as designed. This restored power to both the low lift and main facility buildings, but triggered approximately 175 alarms, which the operator immediately began triaging and troubleshooting to bring the facility back to normal operation,” says the report’s executive summary. (The Chronicle Herald)