Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Kwe kwe. Ullukkut. Tansi. Hello.
Thank you for inviting me here today.
I would like to begin by acknowledging that we come together on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg people.
I am pleased to give an update on the department's progress regarding the recommendations made by the Auditor General in Report 3, Access to Safe Drinking Water in First Nations Communities.
The department continues to work with and support first nations as the owners and operators of their water systems to address all remaining long‑term drinking water advisories as soon as possible.
Since our department last appeared before this committee in April 2021, 43 short‑term drinking water advisories have been lifted, preventing them from becoming long‑term. In addition, 26 long‑term drinking water advisories have been lifted.
As of May 31, 2022, 132 long‑term drinking water advisories have been lifted in first nations communities since 2015. In addition, 219 short‑term drinking water advisories have been prevented from becoming long term.
Work is under way to lift all 34 remaining long‑term drinking water advisories, affecting 29 communities, on public systems on reserves.
The department continues to work with first nations to implement projects that address the long-term needs of communities affected by long-term drinking water advisories. Where interim measures have been implemented to lift drinking water advisories, long-term solutions are at various stages of implementation. We continue to advocate for a continuation of program funding that ensures support for water and waste-water services in first nations, with the objective of obtaining long-term, stable funding, including targeted funding to enhance capacity training measures and retain water operators.
Since 2016, the Government of Canada has committed over $5.6 billion to upgrade water and waste-water infrastructure on first nations reserves, better support the operation and maintenance of these systems, improve the monitoring and testing of community drinking water, and support ongoing efforts to eliminate and prevent long-term drinking water advisories. We continue to work with first nations to help with annual performance inspections of water systems.
We also undertook a pilot program for a new asset inspection process, which is now being rolled out on a three-year cycle. In addition to providing a more comprehensive review of asset deficiencies, this new inspection process identifies future capital requirements, allowing communities to proactively plan and undertake major maintenance and asset replacement activities before assets fail. We will continue to proactively work with communities to prevent recurring advisories.
One of the OAG recommendations related to the department identifying how much funding is needed by first nations to operate and maintain drinking water infrastructure, and amending the existing funding formula to provide sufficient operations and maintenance funding in future years. I'm pleased to say the department implemented this recommendation in July 2021. The existing O and M funding formula has been updated to better reflect actual costs. That increase in funding has already started flowing directly to first nations. ISC will continue to cover 100%—up from 80%—of the O and M funding formula for water and waste-water systems.
Another recommendation was that the department work with first nations to develop and implement a regulatory regime for safe drinking water. The recent court-approved class action settlement agreement for safe drinking water in first nations commits Canada to making all reasonable efforts to introduce legislation that repeals the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act by March 31, 2022, and to develop and introduce replacement legislation, in consultation with first nations, by December 31, 2022.
Canada and the Assembly of First Nations are advancing co‑development of a draft framework to inform the development of proposed legislation to replace the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act.
Finally, Budget 2022 proposes $173.2 million over 10 years, starting in 2022‑23, to support the transfer of water and wastewater services in 17 communities to the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority.
By putting service delivery into the hands of communities themselves, this first‑of‑its‑kind, first nations‑led initiative will help chart the path to self‑determination, while strengthening the management of water and wastewater infrastructure on reserves.
I look forward to answering your questions. Meegwetch. Qujannamiik. Marsee.
Thank you.