Prime Minister Mark Carney Directs $800 Million for First Nations Clean Drinking Water Infrastructure

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu announced on Monday the distribution of $800 million in dedicated federal capital grants to finance the engineering, construction, and long-term operations of advanced municipal water treatment plants and piped distribution networks across thirty First Nations communities in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia.

The investment, administered in direct co-development partnerships with First Nations leadership, fulfills the federal statutory commitment to permanently eliminate long-term drinking water advisories on reserves and establish sustainable, community-controlled water utility corporations.

Permanently Securing Clean Drinking Water on Reserves While the federal government has lifted over 145 long-term drinking water advisories over the past decade, remote northern and fly-in communities have faced significant infrastructure replacement costs and certified water plant operator recruitment challenges.

"Access to safe, clean drinking water is a fundamental human right that must be guaranteed to every person living in Canada," Prime Minister Mark Carney said in Thunder Bay. "For generations, First Nations communities were left with substandard water systems that broke down and failed. This $800 million investment builds state-of-the-art water treatment facilities, replaces aging underground pipes, and provides permanent, long-term funding to train and pay certified First Nations water operators, guaranteeing clean water out of the tap forever."

Community Infrastructure and Operator Training Endowments Key components of the $800 million allocation include:

• Advanced Water Treatment Plant Construction: $520 million for modular reverse-osmosis, ozone, and ultrafiltration plants engineered for extreme northern winter climates.
• Piped Distribution Main Extensions: $180 million to connect unserviced residential homes to central watermains, replacing expensive trucked water delivery.
• First Nations Water Operator Training & Salary Parity: $100 million dedicated to funding competitive salary grids and accredited certification programs for local Indigenous water treatment engineers.

Assembly of First Nations (AFN) leaders and community chiefs commended the binding multi-year funding commitment, emphasizing that modern water infrastructure is foundational to community health, economic development, and self-determination.