A local Indigenous leader says the federal government’s focus on access to clean drinking water may be neglecting Indigenous reserves in less dire situations.
Joel Abram, grand chief of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians, said that reserves with water treatment systems still need to reach provincial standards, despite a federal promise to focus on ending boil-water advisories.
"While we understand it’s important to address those situations, its left a lot of other people in the dark as to where they stand in terms of drinking water facilities not meeting standards or capacity issues," he said.
Abram was in Ottawa this week to speak with government leaders about the issue.
"Although we need to look at the worst of the worst, we also need to ensure that those [reserves] that do have water treatment facilities meet the regulations," he said.
Officials of the Ontario Clean Water Agency said the treatment facility at Oneida Nation of the Thames did not meet provincial standards, said Abram.
The inspection also found that the filtration system is at capacity, which can limit the amount of new infrastructure and houses that can built on the reserve.
Minister of Indigenous Services Jane Philpott and members of her department assured Abram that they were moving as quickly as they could.

Today, the Honourable Jane Philpott, Minister of Indigenous Services, announced that the Department of Indigenous Services Canada will add close to 250 drinking water systems to the total number covered by the federal government’s commitment to ensure clean drinking water on public systems on reserve.
As a result, the Government will provide financial support to end 24 additional long-term drinking water advisories by March 2021.
The Government is ready to provide support if any additional drinking water advisories become long term or are at risk of becoming long term, on the more than 1,000 public drinking water systems on reserve covered by its commitment.
Budget 2016 provided investments of $1.8 billion over five years to significantly improve on-reserve water and wastewater infrastructure, ensure proper facility operation, maintenance, and support training of water system operations.
Five-year targeted investments provide communities with the necessary funding security in order to plan, design, and implement required upgrades.
Budget 2016 also includes $141.7 million over five years in new funding to improve drinking water monitoring and testing on reserve.
Quotes "First Nation communities working in partnership with the federal government have started or completed almost 350 projects to improve water and wastewater infrastructure on reserve.
As we move into 2018, many of these projects will be completed, and we expect at least 20 additional long-term drinking water advisories will be lifted by the end of the year.
We have a lot of hard work ahead, but our Government remains steadfast in our commitment – to lift all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021."
Minister of Indigenous Services Related Products Associated Links Stay Connected You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds.

Today, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Brian Mason, Alberta Minister of Transportation, were joined by Vermilion Mayor Caroline McAuley to announce federal-provincial funding of more than $16.3 million for four water and wastewater projects in Alberta.
Quotes "The Government of Canada is making strategic infrastructure investments to improve Albertans’ quality of life while supporting economic development and middle-class job creation.
Projects like the wastewater treatment plant upgrades in Vermilion will help the community better manage its wastewater while protecting regional waterways and maintaining a healthy environment.
To date, the federal government has invested more than $196.7 million in 66 water and wastewater projects in Alberta through the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund.
The Government of Alberta has invested more than $102.5 million in 17 of these projects.
The Government of Alberta helps provide Albertans with access to clean drinking water and reliable water/wastewater treatment systems through the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) and the Water for Life program.
The provincial funding announced today is provided through the AMWWP, which supports municipal water supply and treatment and wastewater treatment and disposal facilities.
Related product Backgrounder Four water and wastewater projects in Alberta receive government funding The Government of Canada’s Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF) supports projects that provide communities with more reliable water and wastewater systems.
The Government of Alberta helps provide Albertans with access to clean drinking water and reliable water/wastewater treatment systems through the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) and the Water for Life program.
Project list Location Project name Federal funding Provincial funding Municipal funding MD of Pincher Creek Hamlet of Beaver Mines Treated Water Storage $180,330 nil $180,330 Town of Barrhead Barrhead wastewater treatment plant upgrades $645,688 nil $645,688 Town of St. Paul St. Paul wastewater treatment plant upgrades $5,504,000 nil $5,624,000 Town of Vermilion Vermilion wastewater treatment plant upgrade $8,023,187 $2,000,000 $6,144,172 Associated links Smart Cities Challenge: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/cities-villes-eng.html May 2017: Alberta water projects announcement: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=46997504355C0-C616-0090-186500D617269DE1 September 2016: Canada and Alberta reach agreement under new federal infrastructure funding programs: https://www.canada.ca/en/office-infrastructure/news/2016/09/canada-alberta-reach-agreement-under-new-federal-infrastructure-funding-programs.html June 2016: Alberta commits $117 million to critical water infrastructure: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=429811E33F76E-F203-D5CD-87C8873B3C2E853C SOURCE Infrastructure Canada For further information: Brook Simpson, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-219-0149, Brook.Simpson@canada.ca; John Archer, Press Secretary, Alberta Transportation, 587-985-4252, john.archer@gov.ab.ca; Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: infc.media.infc@canada.ca

The governments of Canada and Ontario are committed to investing in local infrastructure which ensures Canadians and their families have access to modern, reliable water and wastewater services that meet their needs.
On behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste.
Marie today announced that five new projects in Batchewana and Garden River First Nation communities have been approved under the Government of Canada’s Clean Water and Wastewater Fund.
“Investing in water and wastewater treatment infrastructure is essential to maintaining a healthy environment and providing access to clean, reliable drinking water.
The Government of Canada is working with provinces, territories and municipalities across the country to support important projects like those in Batchewana and Garden River First Nation communities, to ensure healthy and sustainable water infrastructure now and for years to come.” said,The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.
“This announcement is about infrastructure.
But what do infrastructure investments actually mean for the riding of Sault Ste.
It’s about quality of life.
Access to reliable water and wastewater systems is essential for ALL Canadians, and this is why I am thrilled to see these investments being made.” added, Terry Sheehan, Sault MP.
Our People have known for many years that our water systems are sub – standard and everyone is deserving of quality water.

The Government of Canada Works with First Nation to end three long-term Drinking Water Advisories at Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.
Today, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, announced new investments that will lift three long-term drinking water advisories at the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.
Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation is contributing approximately $2.3 million toward this project and through the significant efforts of Chief Kelly LaRocca, secured an additional $4.6 million from the Small Communities Fund, a partnership between the Governments of Canada and Ontario to help bring needed infrastructure projects to communities in the province.
"The Government of Canada is working with First Nation communities and our federal and provincial partners to bring dependable sources of clean, safe drinking water to First Nation residents across the country.
Today’s investment will enable the community to lift three long-term drinking water advisories at Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.
Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs "Once our water treatment plant has been constructed, we will be able to end three long-term drinking water advisories in Scugog First Nation.
Having a new water treatment plant will provide safe, clean drinking water in our members’ homes."
Quick Facts As part of a long-term strategy, the Government of Canada is working with First Nations on sustainable approaches to eliminate long-term drinking water advisories affecting public systems financially supported by INAC by March 2021, and to prevent new long-term advisories from happening.
Seven long-term drinking water advisories (LTDWA) have been lifted in six Ontario First Nation communities between November 2015 and May 2017.
Progress was achieved in part through the tripartite water working group, which brings together experts from the Government of Canada (Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and Health Canada), the Government of Ontario (Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change), and the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation.

Runner aims to raise awareness of clean water issue in Canada.
It was at a social gathering more than a year ago that nursing school graduate Hasan Syed came to a shocking revelation of the clean drinking water problem that still plagues Canada.
“When you think of Canada, you don’t think a problem like having access to a clean water would exist here.
They then started a campaign that would have him run from Vancouver to Ottawa – spanning roughly 4,500 kilometres — to bring awareness of the ongoing water crisis in First Nations.
“I did about 24 kilometres that day – literally went from zero to 24,” Syed said, of the campaign’s start.
He said he was “in pain” and couldn’t walk properly for hours.
Syed now drives from city to city and runs – and walks – in the community, still aiming to hit the 4,500-kilometre goal.
Marie stop at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion on Sunday, as he waited for people to join him on a three-kilometre run, Syed told The Sault Start that next to the physical challenges, trying to maintain positivity is a tough task.
Sault native Ruth Galinis was one of them.
Syed’s next stop is Sudbury.

Canada’s longest-standing First Nations boil water advisory will end in 2018, Liberals say.
The Liberal government says it will spend nearly $9 million to upgrade, renovate and improve the water plant in Neskantaga First Nation, a northern Ontario community that has been without safe tap water since 1995.
Indigenous Affairs and Northern Affairs provided the financial details of the plan on Thursday.
Neskantaga Chief Wayne Moonias said his community forced the government to take action on their plight by inviting Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett to their community last year and opening their homes to show her the impact Canada’s longest standing boil water advisory has on their daily lives.
"For more than 20 years we haven’t been able to drink water from our taps or bathe without getting rashes," Moonias said in a news release.
"Our members drove this process."
The project is expected to be completed by "late spring" 2018, according to Indigenous Affairs.
"We are one step closer to ending the water advisory, but there is much more work to be done," Moonias said.
It is a fly-in community, located approximately 450 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont.
Nearly 40 other First Nations in northern Ontario are without safe drinking water.

Government of Canada to End Long-Term Drinking Water Advisory at White Bear First Nation in Saskatchewan.
WHITE BEAR FIRST NATION, SK, July 25, 2017 : Everyone in Canada should have access to safe, clean, and reliable drinking water.
Today, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, announced new investments that will lead to the elimination of the long-term drinking water advisory in White Bear First Nation.
The approximately $9.2 million will help replace the community’s water treatment system, enabling more than 800 residents to access clean water for the first time in over five years.
The project, expected to be complete by December 2018, is part of Canada’s commitment of $1.8 billion to improve water infrastructure and strengthen Indigenous communities.
This is reconciliation in action."
Having access to clean, safe and dependable water is critical for the long-term prosperity of our community, as we continue to grow in terms of our population and economic base.
Chief Nathan Pasap White Bear First Nation Quick Facts •As part of its long-term strategy, the Government of Canada is working with First Nations on sustainable approaches to provide safe drinking water for communities, and to prevent new long-term advisories from happening.
•Budget 2016 provides $1.8 billion over five years to significantly improve on-reserve water and wastewater infrastructure, ensure proper facility operation, maintenance, and support the training of water system operators, in addition to $141.7 million over five years to improve drinking water monitoring and testing on reserve.
•Committing investments over five years allows for long-term planning to improve on-reserve water and wastewater systems.

Flash drought hits the US Northern Plains and Canada.
A rapidly worsening drought in the United States shows no sign of easing anytime soon.
A lack of rain and a long-lived heatwave are to blame for the explosive growth of the drought that has hit Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota, but is also growing into southern sections of Canada.
The dire situation affecting the northern-central US border states and southern regions of Canada’s Saskatchewan and Manitoba provinces only began in late May.
But as the ongoing event moved into the summer months it was then the growing heatwave that expanded the severity of the drought situation.
In the state of Montana, Gov.
The town of Glasgow, Montana, shattered a 99-year-old record for the driest April through June period.
The heatwave has been on the increase over the last several weeks with daytime high temperatures reaching into the mid-30s Celsius for the affected areas of the U.S. and Canada.
Some forecast models suggest this excessive heat will persist and expand through late July.
Lack of moisture in the soil also means that less moisture is transferred back to the atmosphere, in turn leading to less cloud formation and less rain generated by clouds and thunderstorms.

Watering down facts.
Canada is blessed with many natural resources and access to fresh drinking water is one of its greatest.
Bottled water producers in Canada have played a role in protecting that resource and through leading innovation in packaging and recycling.
Recently there was a discussion about enjoying local tap water over bottled water.
Almost 70 per cent of Canadians, according to the latest research, choose tap as their primary water source, often making the choice for tap water at home and bottled water on the go.
It should be pointed out that, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, bottled water sold in Canada represents just 0.009 per cent of the approximately 38,300 million cubic metres of water that are annually withdrawn from Canada’s rivers, lakes, groundwater and oceans.
British Columbians can be proud of their recycling rates with approximately 80 per cent of our industry’s containers being recycled and turned into everything from park slides to fleece jackets, sleeping bags, shoes, car parts and the list goes on.
Successful recycling in B.C.
As of 2016 reports from the Return-It program, the Fraser-Fort George Regional district has one of the highest per capita recycling rates for beverage containers, 50 per cent higher than the provincial average.
In the end, we believe there is a place for both bottled water and tap water to co-exist and the research supports this.