Question Period Note: New investments in clean drinking water in First Nations communities

• We are working in partnership with First Nations to improve access to safe drinking water and end long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserves.

• Since 2016 and until 2021, the Government of Canada has committed $2.19 billion to support safe drinking water and the treatment of wastewater on reserves.

• On November 30, 2020, an additional $1.5 billion was announced to help meet the government’s commitment to clean drinking water in First Nations communities.

As part of Budget 2016, the Government of Canada committed to end by March 2021 all long-term drinking water advisories affecting public systems on reserve. Phase 1 of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan supported this goal by providing an unprecedented $1.8 billion over five years for First Nation communities to significantly improve on-reserve water and wastewater infrastructure, ensure proper facility operation and maintenance, and strengthen capacity by enhancing the training of water system operators. Budget 2016 also included $141.7 million over five years in new funding to the Department to improve drinking water monitoring and testing on reserve. In addition, Budget 2017 provided $49 million over 3 years to address advisories as part of the expanded scope which added 24 long-term drinking water advisories to the Government’s commitment. Budget 2018 committed an additional $172.6 million over three years to support initiatives to accelerate, where possible, the pace of construction and renovation of affected water systems, support repairs to high-risk water systems and assist efforts to recruit, train and retain water operators. These funds will also support efforts to establish innovative First Nations-led service delivery models. Lastly, Budget 2019 commits an additional $739 million over five years, beginning in 2019-20, with $184.9 million per year ongoing. This investment will support ongoing efforts to eliminate and prevent long-term drinking water advisories by funding urgent repairs to vulnerable water systems and the operation and maintenance of water systems so that First Nations communities can effectively operate and maintain their public drinking water systems.
As of June 30, 2020, more than $1.65 billion of targeted funding has been invested to support 626 water and wastewater projects, including 348 that are now completed. These projects will serve 462,000 people in 581 First Nation communities.
On November 30, 2020, $1.5 billion in additional investments was announced to help meet the government’s commitment to ensure clean drinking water in First Nations communities and protect the health, safety, and well-being of First Nations Peoples. The funding includes: $616.3 million over six years, and $114.1 million per year thereafter, to increase the support provided for operations and maintenance of water and wastewater infrastructure on reserves; $553.4 million to continue funding for water and wastewater infrastructure on reserve; and $309.8 million to continue work to lift all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve, as soon as possible.

If pressed on the details of the announcement

• These investments will help meet the government’s commitment to clean drinking water in First Nations communities.

• The additional funding includes $616.3 million over six years, and $114.1 million per year thereafter, to increase supports for operations and maintenance; $553.4 million in funding for water and wastewater infrastructure on reserve; and $309.8 million to lift all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve.

• These new investments will better aid First Nations in maintaining their water and wastewater infrastructure.
If pressed on the commitment for lifting LTDWAs

• Ending long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserves is a priority for the Government of Canada,

• Since November 2015, through the work done in partnership with First Nation communities and other partners, 97 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted and 171 short-term advisories were resolved preventing them from becoming long-term.

• We are also providing sustainable investments to expand delivery systems, build capacity of and retain local water operators, and support regular monitoring and testing.

• We are working to improve First Nations health and wellbeing and we will continue to do this work.

Work underway to address LTDWAs in effect

• Measures to address project delays are to be funded under this new funding commitment.

• Even with these measures not all long-term drinking water advisories will be lifted by March 2021.

• At this time, it is expected that at least 22 long-term drinking water advisories will be in place after March 2021.

• Initiatives are underway to address all remaining long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserves.
Supporting longer-term sustainability for water and wastewater
• Eliminating long-term drinking water advisories is only one aspect of ensuring sustainable access to clean drinking water.

• Since 2016, more than 600 water and wastewater projects have been funded, serving 462,000 people in 581 First Nations communities; as of June 2020, 348 of these projects are complete.

• Training for water system operators has been strengthened and additional funding for operations and maintenance is being allocated to communities.

• To ensure the longer-term sustainability of systems, Indigenous Services Canada is supporting First Nations-led engagement processes for the review of safe drinking water legislation and to develop a long-term strategy for water and wastewater.
COVID-19 and drinking water:
• We are working with communities to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on the continued provision of safe, clean drinking water.

• We remain in contact with all communities and back-up plans are in place to support continuity of water and wastewater service provision throughout the pandemic.

• Emergency support for system operation remains available to First Nations communities, including through the Circuit Rider Training Program. As well, Operations and Maintenance funding continues to flow to First Nations communities to support effective water operations.