Overview
- Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty introduced Bill C-37 in the House of Commons and the government announced $4.6 billion in targeted funding for First Nations water and wastewater systems.
- The legislation requires drinking water levels to meet at least federal Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality or applicable provincial standards and allows First Nations to administer and enforce their own water laws.
- The bill changes its rights language to commit to the 'progressive realization' of the internationally recognized human right to safe drinking water, a legal phrase that means governments will work over time to achieve the right rather than guarantee an immediate, enforceable statutory entitlement.
- Major Indigenous groups and some legal advocates have criticized the softer rights language and said they were not fully consulted on the new text, while the government says the change makes the bill more durable and easier for provinces to work with.
- Parliament will pause for summer consultations with committee hearings planned in the fall so debate and any vote are expected during the fall sitting; the proposal revives elements of the 2023 Bill C-61 and follows a 2021 settlement and years of boil-water advisories on reserves.