From: Indigenous Services Canada February 4, 2019 — Ottawa, Traditional Algonquin Territory, ON — Indigenous Services Canada The federal government remains steadfast and on track in its commitment to end all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021.
Today, the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Indigenous Services, provided the department’s monthly progress update.
In January 2019, while no long-term drinking water advisories on public systems were lifted or added, four short-term advisories were lifted before becoming long-term.
The department currently projects that at least 15 additional long-term drinking water advisories will be lifted in the next six months.
Lifted short-term advisories in January 2019: Whitesand, in Ontario, lifted a short-term drinking water advisory from the Whitesand Public Water System on January 7.
The advisory had been in place since November 2018, and was lifted after the cistern was cleaned and disinfected.
Since November 2015, 78 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted from public systems on reserve.
“Some months will show greater progress than others as we work to eliminate all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021.
Since November 2015, 116 short-term drinking water advisories (lasting between two and 12 months) were lifted before becoming long-term.
Budget 2016 provided $1.8 billion over five years toward water and wastewater infrastructure.