Neskantaga First Nation in Ontario is marking three decades under a boil-water advisory, the longest in Canada. The community is calling for a new water treatment plant after years of short-term solutions failed to address the issue.
Neskantaga First Nation in northwestern Ontario is commemorating the 30th anniversary of its enduring boil-water advisory, the longest-standing in Canada, by intensifying calls for a permanent resolution to the crisis. As the governing Liberals prepare for a new leadership, the First Nation is escalating efforts to secure federal funding for a new water treatment plant .
Chief Chris Moonias of Neskantaga First Nation, reflecting on the community's prolonged struggle, stated, 'It's been traumatic for a lot of my people. We shouldn't be living like this.'\Established in 1993, the community's water treatment plant initially issued a boil-water advisory two years later due to operational issues. While the plant currently generates clean water, distribution system flaws prevent it from reaching residents' homes. Despite water flowing through taps, residents are advised to boil it before consumption or for hygiene purposes. Moonias attributes the unresolved issue to a lack of political will from the government, emphasizing the need for decisive action. The community of approximately 350 individuals, located 440 kilometers northeast of Thunder Bay, faces the constant burden of the boil-water advisory. Many band members reside in Thunder Bay, where the community's youth attend high school. \Across Canada, 31 communities remain under boil-water advisories, predominantly concentrated in Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Since November 2015, 147 long-term advisories have been lifted. Moonias describes a history of short-term solutions implemented over the years, costing tens of millions of dollars, yet failing to address the core problem. The lack of access to clean drinking water has taken a toll on the community's mental health, resulting in skin rashes and other health complications. Recognizing the urgency, Moonias recently submitted a project approval request to Ottawa, seeking funding for a new water treatment plant estimated at $52 million. After the federal government approved an initial $8.7 million in 2017 for upgrades to Neskantaga's existing water treatment plant, various challenges led to delays and setbacks. Despite these upgrades, Moonias asserts that the plant's distribution system remains fundamentally flawed, hindering its intended functionality. The community continues to rely on bottled water shipments, funded by the federal government at a cost of approximately $6,000 per trip on a weekly or biweekly basis. The abundance of plastic water bottles accumulating in the community's landfill has become a significant environmental concern. \Moonias emphasizes that the only viable solution is a completely new water treatment plant, advocating for the government to prioritize this long-term fix instead of continuing with stop-gap measures. He asserts that the community was pressured into upgrading the existing plant, which has proven ineffective in resolving the crisis. Minister Hajdu acknowledges the government's commitment to addressing the water challenges faced by Neskantaga First Nation. She states that plans are in place to rectify 12 deficiencies at the current treatment plant and that ongoing discussions are focused on designing a new plant with a new water intake to provide cleaner source water
BOIL-WATER ADVISORY NESKANTAGA FIRST NATION WATER TREATMENT PLANT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CLEAN DRINKING WATER
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