Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation, known locally as Lac La Croix, is planning to build a new water treatment plant to create better drinking water standards. The community will be getting up to $30 million in funding from the provincial government to see this plan come life, Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford announced on Feb. 19.
This investment is part of $875 million Health and Safety Water Stream (HSWS) from the province’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP) geared at assisting 127 municipalities and First Nations communities in upgrading and expanding critical water infrastructure.
“This expanded funding for critical water infrastructure will contribute to strengthening the safety and reliability of water services in Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation,” Rickford said in a press release.
“The Health and Safety Water Stream is ensuring the safety, functionality and longevity of the water of the treatment plants that community members in Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation rely on, today and into the future.”
Gakijiwanong has been on a boil water advisory since 2022, which was declared long-term in 2023. Poor drinking water conditions which are actively affect 108 different home and five community buildings.
The community is looking forward to having improved drinking water conditions and making strides away from the advisory, Gakijiwanong Chief Carrie Atatise-Norwegian said.
“Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe is thrilled to receive funding from the Health and Safety Water Stream to fund a new Water Treatment Plant,” Atatise-Norwegian said in the release.
“We are excited to work with Ontario, the Ministry of Infrastructure, and the Health and Safety Water Stream on this important project. This work will improve the lives of our members in the resolution of a long-term boil water advisory and in providing the opportunity to drink safe tap water.”
Treaty 3 Ogichidaa (Grand Chief) Francis Kavanaugh is pleased to hear the announcement from the provincial government and commended Gakijiwanong’s chief and council for their part in making it happen.
“It is always an honour to be invited to Gakijiwanong to see my many friends and family there,” Kavanaugh said in a separate release from Treaty 3.
“On this occasion I was overjoyed to see the hard work of Chief Atatise-Norwegian and her council come to fruition with this announcement of a long-term solution to the community’s water security.”
