The Water Chronicles

March 10, 2010

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Water Quality in Ontario First Nations Communities

For a country that is supposed to be rich with fresh water, Canada has some disappointing statistics. In April 2008, the Canadian Medical Association Journal reported more than 1, 760 boil water advisories across the country. By July, according to Health Canada, 97 of these water advisories were in First Nations reserves. Boil water advisories are often due to faulty chlorination or disinfection systems and are meant to be temporary measures. However, many aboriginal reserves have been affected by them for a long time. Some, like Lansdowne House, for up to 13 years.

In March 2006, the federal government put into effect a plan to help improve aboriginal water quality. The Plan of Action for Drinking Water in First Nations Communities was developed to address the concerns highlighted by the Walkerton Ontario crisis in 2000, when seven people died from polluted drinking water, and the 2005 Kashechewan Reserve evacuation of 800 residents because of E.coli contamination in their water.

In a progress report released in January 2008, Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister,Chuck Strahl, says that the government has "significantly changed the way water quality iss addressed in First Nation communities". In 2006, 193 water systems among the first nations were classified as high-risk. That number has been cut to 58. Also, of the 21 priority communities that had both a high-risk water system and a drinking-water advisory, only four still make the list.

The ministry implemented a Protocol for Safe Drinking Water in First Nations Communities, a 24-hour hotline and an emergency support system to enable anytime access to technical help and/or support for aboriginals. The Circuit Rider Training Program also set out to train more First Nations operators in water and wastewater systems.

But according to a study conducted in the summer of 2007 by Ekos for Health Canada, many people in the communities aren’t convinced their water is completely safe to drink. Of the 1,502 surveyed aboriginal residents, only 63 per cent said they drink their tap water.

Further, the Polaris Institute released a on May 22, 2008 which profiled six First Nation communities. The report showed the glaring injustice of how many reserves deal with miserable water quality.

Most recently, Strahl announced on March 19 that out of the $1.4 billion allocated to aboriginal issues under the federal government’s Economic Action Plan, $165 million would fund water and wastewater projects for 14 First Nations communities. Funding will be spread over two years and the 14 communities are chosen from across the country.
Update: Sabrina Jade Doyle - 5/26/09