On a summer morning beside a flowing stream on Christian Island in southern Georgian Bay, Ontario, high school students bend low to scoop water and peer into its depths. 

Equipped with scientific tools and curiosity, their tasks are prosaic: they test the water’s quality, search for aquatic insects and map their local watershed. But their work is also revolutionary. These Indigenous youth are training to become the next generation of water protectors for their community on Beausoleil First Nation.

Now in its fifth year, the reserve’s summer program brings students together for several weeks of immersive learning in water science and environmental studies. 

Federal records obtained by Canada’s National Observer through an Access to Information and Privacy request show Canada has invested more than $7.1 billion since 2015 in building and repairing water and wastewater infrastructure on reserves. But First Nations across the country face persistent water quality problems, many of which are due to a lack of qualified operators.

Many Indigenous youth across the country have grown up with water issues “as part of their daily lives,” said Dillon Koopmans, who led the program as senior manager of education at Water First. Their research shows that 18 per cent of First Nations across Canada — and 32 per cent of those in Ontario — are currently under a drinking water advisory. 

Though communities including Wasauksing First Nation in Ontario, where Kory Snache is a land-based educator, currently have reliable water infrastructure, he said many nearby Indigenous communities continue to experience instability in water quality and boil water advisories. Over time, this has become normalized, so younger community members may not fully grasp the severity of the crisis.

Snache, who has partnered for more than two decades with Water First on various projects, said the shortage of trained water system operators leaves communities stuck in a reactive cycle, managing crises as they arise rather than building sustainable, long-term water systems. 

Addressing the gap begins with the youngest members of the community, Koopmans said. “We’re trying to empower and provide those [water science] skills and reinforce that foundation of learning in order to prevent the next long-term drinking water advisory from happening.”

Currently, 39 long-term boil water advisories remain in effect across 37 communities, including Neskantaga, which has lived under an advisory for nearly 30 years. As of Sept. 17, there are also 35 short-term drinking water advisories active in First Nations communities south of the 60th parallel, excluding those in BC.

While Water First does not directly fix boil water advisories, Koopmans said the program’s role is to provide the knowledge and skills that empower communities to manage and prevent water issues themselves over the mid- and long-term. 

Since 2016, they have expanded from a single educator making occasional visits into a national initiative delivering more than 40 school water science programs annually. Among the communities they serve, a few remain under long-term advisories, such as Pikangium and Mishkeegogamang in Ontario. 

The programs bring land-based and classroom water science education to Indigenous students from kindergarten through grade 12, connecting students to the land and careers in water stewardship. 

Koopmans, who is of Potawatomi descent and the first educator of the program, said students experience “a day in the life of a water scientist” through interactive experiments — testing water samples, learning about contaminants and exploring how treatment systems work — all while connecting the work back to their own communities’ water challenges. 

“We’re getting that spark lit within our school water programs — promoting appreciation for the environment, for water science and validating water careers as real, accessible options,” he said. 

The summer program even offers high school geography credits. To date, students have earned more than 100 such credits. 

A critical part of Water First’s impact comes from bridging generations within the community. Through its adult internship programs, Water First trains Indigenous adults to become certified water operators and environmental managers. Many of these adult trainees serve as mentors to younger learners in the school programs. “[They come] and share with the learners, ‘hey, I was in that classroom 10 years ago and now I’m doing this and here’s how I got here,’” he said. 

Koopmans added while Indigenous Services Canada supports Water First’s programming at the organizational level, enabling expansion and delivery of more programs, demand for their training comes directly from communities themselves. Many Indigenous communities also experience fluctuating water quality with periods climbing in and out of short-term advisories, which keeps demand for training consistently high, Koopmans said.

The Indigenous educators remain hopeful. 

Snache said building confidence through land-based skills is essential for Indigenous youth facing water challenges. This helps them shift their mindset “from a barrier to opportunity” and empowers them to consider themselves stewards of the land and their communities.“It takes away the fear of just like almost existing,” he said.

How Ottawa is fixing First Nations water issues

Canada’s National Observer contacted Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) to request comment and details on its recent efforts to address short-term advisories before they become long-term.

The department said it is working to resolve its shortage of trained operators. “Work is ongoing to strengthen operations to support the lift of these advisories before they become long-term,” said Jennifer Cooper, an ISC spokesperson in an email response to Canada’s National Observer. 

Short-term advisories usually last two to 12 months and often stem from equipment failures or maintenance delays. First Nations run their own water and wastewater systems and, in most cases, decide when to issue or lift drinking water advisories, usually with guidance from an Environmental Public Health Officer. ISC provides funding and advice, and makes sure drinking water is regularly tested, Cooper said. 

Cooper said the federal government has recently made permanent increases to yearly funding and plans to almost quadruple support for system operations and maintenance by 2025-26. 

“Increased operations and maintenance funding will enable First Nations to better operate their water and wastewater systems, and retain qualified water operators in their communities, including through improved salaries, according to First Nations priorities,” Cooper said.

She added the department invests about $24 million annually in training operators, through initiatives like the Circuit Rider Training Program with circuit riders, traveling water experts who train and support local operators, while also helping First Nations operators get and maintain their certification and emergency response.

The department noted since 2015, more than 310 short-term drinking water advisories on First Nations have been resolved before becoming long-term. Most are handled quickly by local operators, but ISC says it supports communities that need extra help. 

Sonal Gupta / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer

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