The City of Hamilton has been granted an extension to the original deadline set by the province for the dredging of Chedoke Creek.

The newly granted extension from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks will push the deadline for dredging activities to November 30, in line with the City’s request for an additional month.

The ministry says that all other activities that had been advised in its original order ust still be completed by the initial deadline of December 31.

City officials say the extension will have no impact on the project’s budget.

READ MORE: City of Hamilton seeking extension for Chedoke Creek dredging

The city’s Director of Watershed Management Cari Vanderperk said in a statement issued Oct. 24 that it had become apparent to the project team that the in-water portion of the dredging would not be completed by the deadline, sparking the request for an extension.

Vanderperk says that scheduling was impacted by the “above average rainfall” in both July and August, along with the dredged material itself causing equipment challenges.

The targeted dredging is to restore the impacts of the 24 billion-litres of raw sewage leak that happened between January 2014 and July 2018.

This $6 million initiative faced delays last summer when members of the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) interrupted the work site, citing the exercise of their treaty rights.

According to the city’s engineering team, approximately 11,000 cubic meters of sediment are expected to be removed during the cleanup process.

READ MORE: City of Hamilton pleads guilty to charges over Chedoke Creek sewage spill