THUNDER BAY -- Water, housing, roads and energy were the four key elements NAN chiefs and community officials focused on Tuesday at the Nishnawabe Aski Nation's first infrastructure summit.
The two-day summit is the first step to addressing issues such as over-crowed homes and substandard living conditions in some of the remote First Nation communities.
Members from the surrounding NAN territories were expected to fill the seats at the first ever infrastructure summit, but with only 15 out of 49 remote First Nation's communities having seasonal roads, many could not attend.
NAN Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said this is exactly why an infrastructure summit is needed.
He added that some remote communities still have diesel generator systems and he hopes this summit can build a plan to address that.
“In travelling throughout the NAN territory we see the need to have a gathering like this,” Fiddler said.
“That’s something we will be focusing on…is how to get our communities that still rely on diesel generation off of that and looking at other sources of power that they can tap into, so there’s a whole range of issues.”
The gathering also focused on training the next generation to make sure they have the skills to improve infrastructure problems within their own First Nation communities.
According to Fort William First Nation Chief Peter Collins, there are currently 22 NAN communities with a boil water advisory - something that hasn't changed for years.
“Those water advisories have been around for years and years and years,” Collins said.”
“It’s pretty sad that we had this commitment by our former Premier yet they still haven’t followed through with it.”
Fiddler hopes this summit will become an annual event in order to improve traffic, create safer homes and provide clean water.
The conference wrapped up on Wednesday.
(TBT News)
