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This map is based on data from Health Canada and the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia as of July 31, 2017. It covers First Nations communities under the authority of the federal government south of the 60th parallel, excluding advisories in the Saskatoon Tribal Council, which represents about 11,000 people within a 200 kilometre radius of Saskatoon, and which deals with its own water. The federal government's data is not always accurate, and communities can be added and removed from this list sporadically. Blue dots indicate a current boil-water advisory, green dots indicate advisories that have ended, and blue pins denote areas of particular interest. VICE News welcomes any additional information that can update this map and paint a clearer picture of this critical problem.

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This map is based on data from Health Canada and the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia as of July 31, 2017. It covers First Nations communities under the authority of the federal government south of the 60th parallel, excluding advisories in the Saskatoon Tribal Council, which represents about 11,000 people within a 200 kilometre radius of Saskatoon, and which deals with its own water.

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Safe Water for First Nations

Nothing is more important than clean water.

Yet at any given time there are drinking water advisories in dozens of First Nations communities across Canada. The lack of clean, safe drinking water in First Nations is one of the greatest violations of the UN-recognized human rights to water and sanitation.

While there has been progress in recent years, there are still 28 long term drinking water advisories on reserves including some that have been in place for more than 25 years. There is also a deficit in funding for the maintenance and operation of drinking water systems on reserves, which the Parliamentary Budget Officer identified as amounting to $138 million per year.

Instead, the Liberal government has been promoting public-private partnerships (P3s) as a solution. History has shown that P3s not only cost more, but they also lead to the privatization of water and a loss of community control and jobs. P3s are not the answer to the drinking water crisis in First Nations.

The Council of Canadians fights for safe, clean water for everyone. We support Indigenous peoples' right to self-government and self-determination. Greater control by and for First Nations over water is a basic step toward reconciliation, a requirement of  the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and a necessary precondition to ending drinking water advisories in First Nations for good.

20+ years

Some of the advisories date as far back as 1995 - like Neskantaga First Nation.

July 2010

In 2010, the United Nations declared water and sanitation human rights, acknowledging they are essential to the realization of all other rights.

5,000

A single drinking water advisory can mean as many at 5,000 people lack access to safe, clean drinking water.

73%

73 per cent of First Nations' water systems are at high or medium risk of contamination.

Long-term drinking water advisories with public systems on reserves
First Nation Reserves with long-term drinking water advisories

View the Water Drops photo gallery
Sources:

Alternative Federal Budget, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, February 2019, policyalternatives.ca

Glass half empty? David Suzuki Foundation and Council of Canadians, February 2017

Indigenous Services Canada, Government of Canada, canada.ca/en/indigenous-services-canada.html

Read more analysis

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There are still 28 long term drinking water advisories on reserves including some that have been in place for more than 25 years.

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Drinking water crisis in First Nations communities violates human rights

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New government data shows there are approximately 150 drinking water advisories in First Nations communities in Canada. Seventy one of these are long-term. It's difficult to imagine a human right more basic than access to air and water that is safe to breathe and drink. Our very lives and well-being depend on these fundamental rights.

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This report documents the impacts of serious and prolonged drinking water and sanitation problems for thousands of indigenous people – known as “First Nations” – living on reserves. It assesses why there are problems with safe water and sanitation on reserves, including a lack of binding water quality regulations, erratic and insufficient funding, faulty or sub-standard infrastructure, and degraded source waters. The federal government’s own audits over two decades show a pattern of overpromising and underperforming on water and sanitation for reserves.

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Canada's Waterless Communities: Shoal Lake 40