Members of a northern Ontario First Nations community that was under long-term boil-water advisories for 14 years can now access safe drinking tap water thanks to a new water treatment plant.
The Slate Falls First Nation, located approximately 550 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, had been under 11 drinking water advisories since 2004. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the plant, which was built with a $11.6 million investment by the federal government, was held yesterday.
“The community is looking forward to not having to purchase water or boil the water, and after almost 14 years of the boil water advisory, it will be a positive adjustment and a change to our lifestyle,” she said.
The ceremony was attended by federal minister of indigenous services Jane Philpott, Member of Parliament Bob Nault, whose riding includes the region, and other community leaders.
The 2016 budget allocated $1.8 billion over five years to improve on-reserve water and wastewater infrastructure, in addition to $141.7 million over five years for monitoring and testing of drinking water.
The 2018 budget proposes an additional $172.6 million over three years to expedite removal of drinking water advisories, aiming to advance the end date by one year to 2020.
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