Bill C-37: First Nations Water Act

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

62% : December 2023 The Minister of Indigenous Services sent a letter to all First Nation rights-holders and First Nation organizations sharing the introduction of Bill C-61 and encouraging ongoing engagement through the Parliamentary process.
61% : Timeline of key events: June 2026 The Minister of Indigenous Services sent a letter to all First Nation rights-holders and First Nation organizations sharing the introduction of Bill C-37 and encouraging ongoing engagement through the Parliamentary process.
53% : Key elements of the Bill include: * ensuring that First Nations have reliable access to clean and safe drinking water and effective treatment and disposal of wastewater on First Nation lands; * committing the Government to improve access to safe drinking water in First Nations communities by taking action to progressively realize the internationally recognized human right to safe drinking water, including by closing regulatory gaps, co‑developing a funding framework and supporting First Nations water governance through a First Nations‑led water commission; * affirming First Nations' inherent right to self-government, including jurisdiction over water, source water, drinking water, wastewater and related infrastructure on, in and under First Nation lands; * ensuring that the quantity of water available on First Nation lands meets the drinking, cooking, sanitation, hygiene, safety, firefighting, emergency management, cultural and spiritual needs of First Nations; * establishing national principles and minimum standards on the delivery of water services on First Nation lands, and enabling the development of a federal regulatory regime respecting those services; * requiring that all decisions made under the Bill be guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the principle of free, prior and informed consent; and * facilitating collaboration between First Nations and federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments on transboundary source water protection planning and entering into agreements to protect source water.

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