Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

young Indigenous adults

Indigenous interns graduate from drinking water internship program

Indigenous interns graduate from drinking water internship program

Anishinabek Nation celebrated the graduation of 14 interns from the Georgian Bay Drinking Water Internship Program recently. In association with the Ontario Water First Education & Training Inc. and Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations (WBAFN), Gezhtoojig Employment & Training, the paid internship program started in June 2021. It offers great opportunity as it recruits young Indigenous adults to be in the drinking water treatment industry. The program gives students the knowledge and experience to obtain entry-level certifications required to begin careers in water treatment. Through the skills they obtain in this internship program, students become qualified personnel, supporting communities much like our own, on the the unceded territories of the Secwépemc and Ktunaxa peoples and the land chosen as home by the Métis peoples of B.C., in having access to safe, clean drinking water for the foreseeable future.

New Funding Partnership Supports Young Indigenous Adults to Become Water Treatment Plant Operators

New Funding Partnership Supports Young Indigenous Adults to Become Water Treatment Plant Operators

Bank of America and Canadian charity Water First Education & Training Inc. today announced their funding partnership to support the delivery of hands-on skills training through drinking water treatment and environmental water science internships for young Indigenous adults. Bank of America is committing $1 million US over four years, which will contribute resources for more young Indigenous adults to become water treatment plant operators and support their communities to ensure safe, clean drinking water.

New Indigenous Water-Operators-in-Training Announced by Bimose Tribal Council and Water First

New Indigenous Water-Operators-in-Training Announced by Bimose Tribal Council and Water First

Bimose Tribal Council in northwestern Ontario and Canadian charity Water First are pleased to announce that on Friday, 11 interns of their drinking water internship program for young Indigenous adults have graduated. Of the cohort, 91% are now water operators in training (OIT), having earned their OIT certification. Graduates of the internship program are from ten participating First Nations communities across the Bimose Tribal Council region, and are supporting their communities to ensure clean drinking water.

Kohler Co. Expands Commitment to Addressing Water Challenges in Indigenous Communities in North America

Kohler Co. Expands Commitment to Addressing Water Challenges in Indigenous Communities in North America

“13.5 percent of First Nations communities in Canada cannot drink their own tap water. In Ontario, that number is 40 percent, which means 4 out of 10 First Nations in Ontario have unsafe drinking water,” said Christopher Bell, VP and General Manager of Kohler Kitchen & Bath Canada. “As a company focused on water, we are committed to promoting access to clean and safe water and are honoured to partner with Water First to develop sustainable solutions to water issues in communities across Canada.”

Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations and Water First announce new training internship for Water Treatment Plant Operators

Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations and Water First announce new training internship for Water Treatment Plant Operators

The Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations (WBAFN), a tribal council with six member First Nations in Northern Ontario, and Canadian charity Water First Education & Training Inc. announce their partnership to deliver a drinking water treatment and environmental water science internship program for young Indigenous adults. Approximately 12 interns will be recruited from six participating First Nations communities across the tribal council’s region to pursue Operator in Training (OIT) and Water Quality Analyst (WQA) certifications.

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