To: All Chiefs
Dt: September 29, 2005
Fr: Sue Chiblow, Environment Coordinator
Re: Drinking Water in First Nations Communities

The Office of the Auditor General has released the 2005 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. Johanne Gelinas, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development has expressed major concern about the lack of laws and regulations on drinking water in First Nation communities.

“The report found that many First Nations communities remain exposed to risks from unsafe drinking water. Aside from the lack of laws and regulations on drinking water in First Nations communities, the technical support available to First Nations, such as training in operations and maintenance, is also inadequate.
Unless the federal government takes action on these issues, in co-operation with First Nations, it is unlikely that the First Nations Water Management Strategy, a five-year initiative approved in 2003 with a budget of $600 million, will improve the quality and safety of First Nations drinking water on a continuing basis. The $600 million is in addition to hundreds of millions of dollars invested in recent years.
“Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Health Canada should work closely with First Nations to put in place laws and regulations that ensure that First Nations communities have safe drinking water,” said Ms. Gélinas. “The current situation is unacceptable.””

The report examines whether the programs and funding of both Indian and Northern Affairs and Health Canada have helped First Nations communities provide residents with access to drinking water comparable with that of other Canadians living in communities of similar size and location. It also reviewed how well the First Nations Water Management Strategy is being implemented. The report found that when it comes to First Nation communities, residents do not benefit from a level of protection comparable to that of people who live off reserves. It also found that despite the amount of money invested, many First Nation communities continue to have clean, safe drinking water problems. The report also states that technical help to First Nations is presently not adequate.

The report offers several recommendations to INAC and HC to address the unsafe drinking water conditions in First Nation communities. INAC and HC have fully accepted the recommendations except for 5.36 recommendation for INAC and HC, in consultation with First Nations develop and implement a regulatory regime for drinking water in First Nation communities.

The report states recommendations and indicates both INAC and HC’s response to each recommendation. The responses from INAC and HC indicate what is being done to address each recommendation.

To review further details from the Office of the Auditor General’s 2005 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, access the following websites:

Full Report:
English: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/html/c2005menu_e.html


Chapter 5: First Nations Drinking Water
English: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/html/c20050905ce.html


OAG News Release on First Nations Drinking Water (also copied below):
English: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/media.nsf/html/c200505pr_e.html