In an effort to show progress in eliminating "long term" boiled water advisories on First Nations, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu’s department redefined "short term," records reveal. Blacklock's Reporter says despite this redefinition, a Department of Indigenous Services report acknowledged that many First Nations will still have undrinkable tap water into 2025 and beyond.The report, presented to the Senate national finance committee, counted 28 communities with "long term" boiled water advisories in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Out of these 28, at least 21 advisories will continue into 2025, and 19 will persist into 2026 and beyond, with deadlines for utility upgrades "to be determined."Ontario's Neskantaga First Nation, northeast of Thunder Bay, has been under an advisory since 1995 with no repair deadline in sight. Meanwhile, Eabameloong First Nation, southeast of Dryden, Ontario, has been under advisory for 23 years.These figures follow June 19 finance committee testimony where managers admitted to redefining "short term" to reflect progress. "There is an ebb and flow," testified Paula Hadden-Jokiel, assistant deputy minister. "There are some that are added, there are some that are removed. Like we see in the media now for even large municipalities like Calgary, there can be unforeseen events and critical failures.""Short term drinking water advisories are in duration of less than 12 months," said Hadden-Jokiel. "Once they become longer than 12 months they become long term. But there have been over 270 short term drinking water advisories lifted."Senator Claude Carignan (Que.), chair of the national finance committee, questioned the redefinition. "Did you say a boil water advisory of less than 12 months — 11 months and two weeks, for example — is considered a short term advisory?" asked Carignan. "Yes," replied Hadden-Jokiel."It’s a far cry from the situation in municipalities," said Carignan, a former mayor of Saint-Eustache, Que. "A short term advisory in a municipality is about 10 hours. I understand we can simply change the definition."Since 2016, the cabinet has budgeted $3.6 billion to eliminate all First Nation boiled water advisories by March 31, 2021, a deadline that was not met."We work with First Nations people every single day," Minister Hajdu told the Commons on June 17. "Ninety-six percent of First Nations now live in communities with access to clean water and we will not rest until it is done," she added.A 2021 audit found that the department often opened costly new water treatment plants without ensuring that First Nations had trained staff to operate them. "Insufficient operation and maintenance funding poses immediate risks," stated the Evaluation Of The Water And Wastewater On-Reserve Program. "Too many water and wastewater systems are considered to be at medium or high risk for failure."
