NESKANTAGA FIRST NATION, Ont. – A Northwestern Ontario First Nation community under a water advisory for more than two decades could be a year away from having clean drinking water.
The federal government earlier this week announced $8.8 million to upgrade the water treatment plant in Neskantaga First Nation, where a long-term drinking water advisory had been in place for the past 22 years.
"For more than 20 years we haven't been able to drink water from our taps or bathe without getting rashes. Water is a basic human right, and it should not have taken this long to provide the people of Neskantaga with access to safe drinking water,” Moonias said in a Ministry of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada news release.
“This has been a long and difficult process and has demonstrated the resolve of our members. We also appreciate the efforts of everyone who brought attention to this issue over the years. We are one step closer to ending the water advisory, but there is much more work to be done. We hope that work gets underway immediately."
The water treatment plan work, which includes an addition to the existing water plant with new treatment technology and additional reservoir storage capacity, is expected to be completed in late spring of 2018.
The community, located more than 400 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, currently has the longest boil water advisory in Canada.
“Investing in water systems like the one at Neskantaga First Nation represents one more step in renewing our relationship with First Nations and reaffirms our commitment to end all long-term drinking water advisories affecting on-reserve public systems financially supported by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada,” Bennett said.
