WC132 SeptOct 2023 - Magazine - Page 14
The proposed Act states that First Nations
are to have control over their water services,
including design, construction, operation,
maintenance, and management.
Everyone deserves clean water. Through
ongoing consultation and other efforts,
Indigenous communities are raising awareness
of the issues and solutions surrounding access
to clean drinking water. One example is the
Indigenous-owed, FN Clean Water, which not
only sells sparkling and still water but also educates consumers about First Nations’ drinking
water conditions. FN Clean Water contributes
a portion of its earnings to Water First, a
Canadian charity committed to collaborating
with Indigenous communities on local water
challenges. To date, Water First has worked with over 55 Indigenous
communities across Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, and Labrador.
Learn more: www.fncleanwater.ca, wwww.waterfirst.ngo
including jurisdiction over drinking water, wastewater, and related infrastructure on their lands. It also mandates that laws and
implementation policies regarding water services on First Nation
lands align with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples.8
The proposed Act states that First Nations are to have control over their water services, including design, construction,
operation, maintenance, and management,9 and acknowledges
First Nations laws, which, in case of a conflict, would supersede
federal laws, except for certain specified sections, including the
‘Principles’ section.10
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WATER C AN ADA • SEP TEMBER/OCTOBER 2023
A key principle of the proposed Act is that the effective management and monitoring of water services includes a multi-barrier
approach, a comprehensive asset management plan with risk
assessment and management applied throughout all stages of water
services delivery, the training and certification of water services
operators, and the provision of sustainable water services. These
reflect the principles of safe drinking water systems as recommended by the O’Connor Report into the Walkerton tragedy in 2002,
which have become a blueprint for safe establishment, operation,
and maintenance of drinking water systems across Canada.11
The proposed Act also provides for the establishment of a First
Nations Water Commission, a corporation under the Canada
Not-for-profit Corporations Act that is led by First Nations.12
In addition, the proposed Act contains consultation requirements when the designated Minister makes decisions or exercises
various functions under the Act.13
Looking ahead
While Indigenous Services Canada reports that 81 per cent of
drinking water advisories in First Nations communities have
been lifted, 32 long-term drinking water advisories are still
in effect in 28 communities.14 This work must continue as
regulation alone will not be sufficient to ensure safe drinking
water is achieved. The principles of the proposed Act, including a
multi-barrier approach, a comprehensive asset management plan,
risk assessment and risk management approach, the training
and certification of water services operators, and sustainable
water services, can only be achieved with adequate investment in
human resources and physical assets.
For further reading visit watercanada.net ja23resources/
Getty Images, FN Clean Water
FN IN ACTION
