On Earth Day (April 22), Living Lakes Canada welcomed the Province of B.C.’s commitment of $30 million for projects that will strengthen B.C.’s watershed security. This is a timely announcement given the 2022 Earth Day theme is “Investing in our Planet.” This new funding is an essential step towards the creation of a long-term B.C. Watershed Security Fund, a provincial government commitment that has broad support from Indigenous Nations, local governments, community organizations and businesses.
First Nations workers in Sask. sacrifice wages, vacation to run underfunded water systems
Rebecca Zagozewski is the executive director of the Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association, a non-profit organization that works to build First Nations’ capacity to take care and control of their own water services. She says recruitment and retention of water treatment plant operators is a “real problem” on Saskatchewan First Nations, largely because they often can’t pay operators competitive wages.