Boil Water Advisories in First Nations Up 32 Percent This Year

Stewart Redsky, former chief and current Alcohol/Drug Counsellor of Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, walks past one week's worth of 20 litre water bottles in the community's water storage room on Feb. 25, 2015. The Canadian Press/John Woods

The number of long-term boil water advisories in First Nations communities has increased by 32 percent compared to last year, according to Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).

“As of June 23, 2025, there are 37 active long-term drinking water advisories in 35 First Nations communities,” ISC wrote in a June report to the Senate Committee on National Finance (NFFN), which was released by the committee on July 28 and was first covered by Blacklock’s Reporter.