Cootes Paradise Sewage Cover Up – Sewergate
Once the Chedoke Creek sewage leak was revealed, it was further revealed that Council had voted to not inform the public of the leak into Cootes Paradise, and claimed they were only following legal advice.
Hamilton council’s continued desire for secrecy makes it look worse than if it came clean
OPINION Nov 24, 2019 Stoney Creek News
It is getting more difficult to trust what officials from the City of Hamilton say or more importantly don’t say to the public.
After revelations earlier this year that city staff had buried a critical consultant’s report on the Red Hill Creek Parkway for almost six years, it was revealed by the city — under pressure from a Hamilton Spectator story — that 24 billion litres of sewage and stormwater runoff spilled into Chedoke Creek over four years.
Hamilton mayor apologizes for sewage leak, says no cover up intended
Decision not to share details of spill ‘not based on some desire to not inform’ public, says Eisenberger
Dan Taekema · CBC News · Posted: Nov 26, 2019
Hamilton’s mayor has apologized for the leak that allowed an estimated 24 billion litres of sewage and runoff to flow into Chedoke Creek for years.
But, the mayor says, the city’s decision not to tell the public the magnitude or duration of the leak was not a cover up, comparing those who believe the city was trying to hide the spill to conspiracy theorists.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/chedoke-creek-sewage-leak-eisenberger-1.5373646
Council votes to release some, but not all, information about Chedoke Creek leak
Dan Taekema · CBC News · Nov 27, 2019
Hamilton city council will formally apologize for not telling residents about the magnitude of the massive sewage spill in Chedoke Creek and has voted to release some — but not all information about it. The decision came around 3:20 a.m., about four hours after councillors went behind closed doors to discuss a motion from Ward 1 Coun. Maureen Wilson that called on the city to make that apology, and asked that all confidential reports related to the leak be made public.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/council-chedoke-creek-1.5375869
‘Chasing phantoms’: Hamilton council will stop looking for Chedoke Creek whistleblower
Dec 11, 2019
Samantha Craggs · CBC News · Posted: Dec 11, 2019 6:18 PM ET
Hamilton city council will stop searching for a whistleblower who went public about a massive spill of sewage and storm runoff into Chedoke Creek, saying it’s akin to “chasing phantoms.” Councillors voted Wednesday to drop the whistleblower issue. They had previously talked about working with police to identify and punish whoever slipped an anonymous tip about the 24 billion litre spill into the creek.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/whistleblower-1.5393250
‘Unfortunate’ city kept information from public, says spokesperson for environment minister
Dan Taekema · CBC News · Posted: Nov 21, 2019
Hamilton city councillors say they were following legal advice when they decided to keep secret the full extent of a leak that spilled an estimated 24 billion litres of sewage into Chedoke Creek over more than four years
But a spokesperson for Ontario’s Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) described that decision as “unfortunate,” saying the public should be aware of any overflows to protect people’s health and the environment.
And the Royal Botanical Gardens said the spill into the creek set back the effort clean up Cootes Paradise by years.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/chedoke-creek-sewage-spill-1.5368065
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