Tap dry on operating water systems

Feds short funds for Indigenous communities

OTTAWA • The Trudeau government has not set aside enough money to maintain and operate water treatments systems in Indigenous communities, according to a new report from the parliamentary budget officer.

While the Liberals have more than enough money to build the systems, they are $138 million a year short on providing help to First Nations to maintain them, said Yves Giroux.

Canada still has 43 longterm drinking water advisories in 31 Indigenous communities across the country, down considerably from when the Liberals first came to office. But the government admitted last year it would not meet its initial promise to address all of the advisories in the first five years in office.

In those communities the water is either completely unsafe to drink or must be boiled before being used. Since the Liberals came to power they have lifted 119 advisories, but an additional 62 advisories have been added as existing plants encountered problems.

After admitting it would not meet its original goal, the Liberals have not set a new target, but pledged more funding to build and upgrade water treatment plants. The PBO found those plans have enough funding to build the new plants, but the government hasn't set aside enough money to operate them.

“The historical spending since 2016-2017 and planned spending until 2025-2026 on water and wastewater operation and maintenance will only cover just over two thirds of funding needs, suggesting an annual funding gap of $138 million,” reads the report.

In 2017, the PBO found that the money the government had put aside was only enough to cover between 50 and 70 per cent of the needed upgrades.