April 2018: Continued progress on lifting long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve

May 3, 2018 – Ottawa, ON – Indigenous Services Canada

The federal government remains steadfast in its commitment to end all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021.

Ongoing investments in water and wastewater infrastructure are helping to eliminate long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve. The Honourable Jane Philpott, Minister of Indigenous Services, is pleased to share progress made during April 2018.

Four long-term advisories were successfully lifted in April 2018:

Kapawe’no First Nation in Alberta lifted a long-term drinking water advisory on April 16
Sachigo Lake in Ontario lifted a long-term drinking water advisory on April 20
Deer Lake in Ontario lifted a long-term drinking water advisory on April 23
Webequie in Ontario lifted a long-term drinking water advisory on April 24

Additionally, on April 25, Mikisew Cree in Alberta, lifted a short-term advisory that was at-risk of becoming long-term.

Finally, two drinking water advisories on public systems became long-term in April. Indigenous Services Canada is working with both communities to restore safe drinking water. A long-term advisory affecting water system servicing the band office and health centre at Kinonjeoshtegon, Manitoba is projected to lift in July 2018 following connection to a nearby pumphouse. The other, at Chippewas of Georgina Island, Ontario is projected to be lifted in September 2019, with work underway to upgrade the public water system.

Quotes

“Four long term drinking water advisories were lifted in April 2018 – 61 lifted in total since November 2015. I encourage all Canadians to learn more and follow the progress on our government’s commitment to ending all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve at www.canada.ca/water-on-reserve.”

The Honourable Jane Philpott, M.D., P.C., M.P.
Minister of Indigenous Services

Quick facts

Budget 2016 provides $1.8 billion over five years to significantly improve on-reserve water and wastewater infrastructure, ensure proper facility operation and maintenance, and support training of water system operators. In addition, Budget 2016 included $141.7 million over five years in new funding to improve drinking water monitoring and testing on reserve.
Budget 2018 proposes an additional $172.6 million over three years to help accelerate progress on lifting drinking water advisories, and to ensure more infrastructure projects can be completed by 2020 instead of 2021. Budget 2018 also proposes support for repairs to high risk water systems; recruitment, training and retention initiatives and the establishment of innovative First Nation-led service delivery models.
Since November 2015, 61 long-term drinking water advisories (those lasting one year or more) have been lifted from public water systems through the work done in partnership with First Nation communities and other partners. Thirty-two drinking water advisories were added during that same time. Indigenous Services Canada is working to address both long-term drinking water advisories affecting public systems on reserve and drinking water advisories at risk of becoming long term.
There are currently 76 long-term drinking water advisories affecting public systems on reserve.

Associated links

Contacts

For more information, media may contact:

Rachel Rappaport
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jane Philpott
Minister of Indigenous Services
819-934-2796

Media Relations
Indigenous Services Canada
819-953-1160

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