Question Period Note: Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Update

• Indigenous Services Canada continues to work with impacted
First Nations and Métis leadership and communities, the
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta Environment and
Protected Areas, and Alberta Health Services to monitor
drinking water for contaminants in Fort Chipewyan.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada continues to lead the
Government of Canada’s response. Indigenous Services Canada
will continue to work with all partners and stakeholders for a
collaborative response and whole of government approach.
• Departmental officials are reaching out to impacted First Nations
to see if any supports are needed.

ISC involvement/support for remediation of Kearl Mine Spill with ECCC
ISC was made aware that ECCC was involved in the remediation efforts, but since the incident
ISC has received no further update.
For Allison Bay Water Treatment Plant (Mikisew Cree First Nation), there is currently a plan in
place to flush the distribution system and connect the plant to distribution system pending
compliant water quality samples in November 2023. The Project Management Team has been
working actively on an operator action plan to ensure the community has the required resources
to operate the plant once the project is substantially completed.
ISC Environmental Public Health Officers continue to provide enhanced monitoring of the Fort
Chipewyan drinking water supply. To date, all test results have not identified any concerns with
the drinking water quality, and are in compliance with the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking
Water Quality.
All data is being shared with Government of Canada partners (Health Canada, Environment and
Climate Change Canada) and the impacted First Nations and Métis as well as the Regional
Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Funding for bottled water for Mikisew Cree First Nation was approved by ISC, in principle on a
reimbursement basis, with the caveat that ISC (through the Emergency Management
Assistance Program) will provide the support needed while a third-party assessment of water
quality set by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada in collaboration
with the Public Health Office (First Nations and Inuit Health Branch). ISC has also approved inprinciple
supports for a casual worker for the Nation.
ISC support for bottled water/water services
The Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP) in Alberta Region has not received
supporting documents from the Nation needed for flow of funding for the bottled water. The
funding remains approved, but not transferred to the Nation.
On March 16, 2023, bottled water was delivered to Mikisew Cree First Nation in an effort to reestablish
confidence in potable water services. Funding for bottled water is also available for
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation should they request these supports.
ISC continues to be in regular communication with Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and
Mikisew Cree First Nation. Additionally, Indigenous Services Canada officials continue to have
briefings with Environment and Climate Change Canada for oversight and coordination of the
“whole-of-government approach” in responding to this matter.
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The affected communities continue to raise concerns and request a broader longitudinal health
study. The Government of Canada continues to have discussions about who will lead this study
and support the communities in the area working with all stakeholders.
EMAP supports, specifically for wildfire management/ ISC support to recover from wildfire
evacuations
During the wildfire, the Nation received approval in principle to construct a fireguard to protect
the community from the imminent threat of the wildfire. In addition, on October 31, 2023, the
call for proposals for FY 2024-2025 preparedness funding was sent out to all Nations in Alberta,
including to Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. ISC remains ready to support the Nation should
they submit a proposal for wildfire preparedness project.
The Region’s 13 Mental Wellness Crisis Response Teams are in high demand and this past
summer deployment requests exceeded capacity for multiple months.
Chiefs in Alberta and ISC have agreed to pool funding to support the recruitment and
retention of Directors of Emergency Management/ Emergency Management
Coordinators in every First Nation in Alberta to allocate the 2024/25, 2025/26, and 2026/27
Health Emergency Management Funding of $ 1,407,744 yearly to combine with the yearly
Regional Operations Capacity $1,349,539 enhancement funds and additional yearly $1,200,000
Headquarters funding. Additionally, recommended that 2023/24 HEM funds of $1,597,744 be
combined with any residual Regional Operations capacity funds for 2023/24 to initiate the First
Nation Led proof of concept project.
ISC continues to work with the Nation and regional partners to identify, review and reimburse for
program eligible costs incurred in responding to and recovering from the wildfire. Jurisdictional
and policy issues have arisen in engagement with the local communities, however ISC remains
engaged with cross-jurisdictional partners to resolve these issues to ensure that the Nation
receives support for all eligible wildfire evacuation and response costs.
Engagement with community and progress on supporting an all-weather road
ISC has not received a formal request from the Nation or from the Province for an all-access
road. Should the community request to convert the winter road to an all-season road, the
construction project could be eligible for ISC funding through the First Nation Infrastructure Fund
if funding is secured. Once constructed, the management and maintenance of the all-season
road would be under the responsibility of either the province/municipality or the community.
Additional Background: Mental Wellness Treatment and Investments
Indigenous Services Canada currently invests approximately $650M annually for communitybased
services to address the mental wellness needs of First Nations and Inuit, which includes:
life promotion and suicide prevention; substance use prevention and treatment; the Hope for
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Wellness Help Line; trauma-informed mental health and cultural supports; and a network of 75
Mental Wellness Teams serving 385 First Nations and Inuit communities as of March 2023
(British Columbia First Nations Health Authority not included).
Indigenous Services Canada currently funds a network of 45 treatment centres, as well as drug
and alcohol prevention services in the majority of First Nations communities across Canada.
The community-based component provides prevention, intervention, aftercare and follow-up
services in First Nations and Inuit communities across Canada. In most communities, this
component is delivered by community-based workers who are responsible for identifying
community needs and delivering program activities.

If pressed on compounding events
• Indigenous Services Canada is deeply concerned about the
issues facing the communities of Athabasca Chipewyan First
Nation and all First Nations who have been impacted by
compounding events related to this incident as well as the
opioid crisis and recent wildfires.
• Indigenous Services Canada has been in regular contact with
community leadership and administrators, and continue to
respond to critical incidents as they arise.
• ISC is working closely with the Regional Municipality of Wood
Buffalo and Alberta Environment and Protected Areas which has
jurisdiction over the provision of safe potable water to the
communities of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and Mikisew
Cree First Nation. If pressed on mental wellness/opioid crises
• Our Government recognizes that substance use can have
devastating effects on individuals, families and communities.
• ISC supports access to harm reduction measures including
naloxone, and funding wraparound supports at 78 Opioid Agonist
Therapy Sites (as of March 2023).
• We will continue to work with First Nations and Inuit, provincial and
territorial partners to explore ways to collectively address
problematic substance use issues.