In the news

Safe Water project helped 3 First Nations lift boil water advisories last year Article by Jody Porter, originally published by CBC Thunder Bay The program that helped a 19-year-old solve his First Nations’ drinking water problems is seeking federal funding to continue. Keewaytinook Okimakanak’s (Northern Chiefs Council) Safe Water project provides real-time monitoring of water treatment plants Read the article >>

He just graduated from high school, now this teen is running the water plant in North Spirit Lake Article by Jody Porter, originally published on CBC News Thunder Bay. A 19-year-old from North Spirit Lake First Nation is the key to solving a boil water advisory in place in his community for nearly as long as Read the article >>

By Geordi Kakepetum for Water Canada Magazine (watercanada.net) Chief Joe Crow of Fort Severn First Nation proudly speaks of the milestone his community will realize this year. “For the first time in more than two years, our people will be able to turn on the tap and just drink the water without first having to boil Read the article >>

Article originally published on CKDR Dryden (April 4, 2026) A Dryden based organization that focuses on the delivery of clean drinking water and training is applauding a federal investment to end boil water advisories on area First Nations. Geordi Kakepetum is the chief executive director of Keewaytinook Okimakanak and says committed funds support the work Read the article >>

Article originally published in The Chronicle Journal (April 4, 2026) A Northwestern Ontario First Nations group welcomes the federal government’s budget commitments aimed at eliminating boil water advisories in First Nations communities. Tribal council chiefs with Keewaytinook Okimakanak believe the government funding supports their communities’ greatest needs as well as the Safe Water Project, which they have Read the article >>

Original article by Shari Narine in Windspeaker (March 2016) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged to end all boil water advisories on First Nations within five years. The budget delivered by his government on March 22 committed $1.8 billion to strengthen on reserve water and waste water infrastructure and $141.7 million to monitor water on reserve. Read the article >>

Original article by Chantal Braganza at TVO Current Affairs (Shared Values) For most of his life Nico Suggashie, like many of his neighbours, just assumed his local tap water wasn’t safe to drink. “I’d just avoid it,” he says. His hometown of Poplar Hill, an Anishinaabe First Nation reserve community in northwestern Ontario, nearly 300 km north Read the article >>

Original article by Tiar Wilson at CBC News Aboriginal Three northern Ontario First Nations have managed to stop boil water advisories in their communities since May because of access to a new real-time water quality monitoring system. Deer Lake, Fort Severn, and Poplar Hill First Nations have all spent close to 1,000 days on a boil water Read the article >>

Original article by Sandi Krasowski and staff in the Chronicle Journal A water treatment, training and monitoring project based out of Dryden is working to prevent boil water advisories in remote First Nation communities in Northwestern Ontario. “The Safe Water Project, a new and innovative approach . . . is addressing the challenge of delivering safe, clean Read the article >>

Original article by James Murray on Net News Ledger Fort William First Nation – Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day is calling on the Federal Party Leaders to address the lack of clean and safe water in First Nations across Ontario. Currently, there are 67 communities under boil water advisories. “It is outrageous to think of Read the article >>