Agreement includes $1.5 billion payment to First Nation members deprived of safe drinking water
The Federal Court and the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba have approved an agreement to settle a class-action lawsuit related to safe drinking water on First Nations communities.
Initiated in 2019, the lawsuit involves an alleged breach by the federal government of its obligations to First Nations and their members by failing to ensure that reserve communities have safe drinking water. It was further alleged that the federal government was negligent, and breached its fiduciary duties, the honour of the Crown and various Charter rights.
The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Tataskweyak Cree Nation in Manitoba, and Curve Lake and Neskantaga First Nations in Ontario. The class includes all members of First Nations whose communities were subject to a drinking water advisory for a year or longer from November 1995 to the present.
The terms of the settlement agreement include the following:
The federal government will continue to work with all First Nations communities to address the current drinking water crisis, the Department of Indigenous Services Canada said.
Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $5.2 billion to First Nations to build and repair water and wastewater infrastructure and support effective management and maintenance of water systems on reserves.
