scholarly journals Moving towards Effective First Nations’ Source Water Protection: Barriers, Opportunities, and a Framework

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2957
Author(s):  
Rachael Marshall ◽  
Michele Desjardine ◽  
Jana Levison ◽  
Kim Anderson ◽  
Edward McBean
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Indigenous Research ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Source Water Protection ◽  
Source Waters

It is well known that watershed-based source water protection programs are integral to the provision of clean drinking water. However, the involvement of Indigenous communities in these programs is very limited in Canada, which has contributed to the vulnerability of Indigenous source waters to contamination. Through a partnership with an Anishinaabe community, this research aimed to identify challenges and opportunities for communities and practitioners to improve the protection of Indigenous source waters in the province of Ontario. The methodology followed the Indigenous research principles of relationship, respect, relevance, reciprocity, and responsibility. Interviews and a youth focus group were conducted with Indigenous community members and practitioners from industry, academia, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and government. Analysis was conducted using an iterative process to develop codes and themes in the qualitative data analysis software NVivo. Results indicated that issues with scale, jurisdiction, the concept of source water protection, representation, funding, and capacity impact efforts to protect Indigenous source waters. Hopeful recent developments and upcoming opportunities were identified, and a water protection framework for First Nation communities in Ontario was developed in partnership with an Anishinaabe water protection committee. Recommendations are provided to multiple sectors for moving forward respectfully, and effectively, towards the protection of Indigenous waters.

scholarly journals Exploring Attitudes Towards Water Collaboration for Source Water Protection Between First Nations and Ontario Municipalities

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalya Garrod
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Source Water Protection ◽  
Conservation Authorities ◽  
Collaborative Efforts

My research will examine how collaborative source water protection planning involving First Nations, municipalities, and conservation authorities can act as an avenue for enhancing water security on-reserves in southern Ontario. There is plenty of academic literature that examines the extent of water quality issues on First Nations reserves in Canada, and on the factors that contribute to the problem. However, what is lacking are those focused on collaborative efforts between First Nations, municipalities, and conservation authorities. This gap has been acknowledged by other academics in the field. For example, Nelles and Alcantara (2011) claim scholars have ignored the variety of inter-governmental agreements between Indigenous communities and municipal governments in Canada. “We know very little about collaborative agreements, how or why they have emerged or failed to emerge, and whether or not they would be successful” (Nelles and Alcantara, 2011). Some questions have yet to been answered, such as, what collaborative models currently exist that would enable source water protection? What kind of relationships exist between First Nations and their neighbouring municipalities and conservation authorities? How can these relationships work to positively impact source water protection in the region? The goal of this research is to assess the attitudes, opinions, and experiences of First Nations, Municipalities, and Conservation Authorities in a shared watershed to determine how they might be able to work towards collaborative source water protection planning. A case study approach will be used with COTTFN, the City of London, and Upper and Lower Thames Conservation Authorities. This document will act as a guide to collaborative efforts and relationship building can enhance source water protection.

Source water protection programs and Indigenous communities in Canada and the United States: A scoping review

2018 ◽  
Vol 562 ◽  
pp. 358-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael E. Marshall ◽  
Jana K. Levison ◽  
Edward A. McBean ◽  
Elizabeth Brown ◽  
Sherilee L. Harper
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
The United States ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Source Water Protection

scholarly journals Water Insecurity in Ontario First Nations: An Exploratory Study on Past Interventions and the Need for Indigenous Water Governance

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 717
Author(s):  
Rachel Arsenault
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
First Nation ◽  
Indigenous Research ◽  
Security Challenges ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Indigenous Perspectives

In 2018, I began an exploratory study involving fourteen Ontario First Nation participants that examined some First Nation water security challenges and opportunities. In acknowledgment that many of the government assessments, reports, and investments to date have failed, this study aims to determine the causes of the water crisis as well as potential solutions by sharing Indigenous perspectives and recommendations on water governance and security. During the study, Indigenous participants were asked interview questions regarding their water and wastewater systems, their historical and current water security conditions, and if they had recommendations for achieving water security in First Nations. The analysis from these interviews demonstrated that there were ten different themes for water security and insecurity in First Nation communities as well as a set of four recommendations shared by the fourteen participants. The participant recommendations are: (1) that Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Indigenous laws be included in water security initiatives and water governance; (2) that provincial and federal governments work with Indigenous communities on their water security challenges and opportunities; (3) that First Nation leadership develops and implements community water protection plans; (4) that Indigenous communities establish an oversight committee or body for monitoring tourist ventures and extractive development projects such as mining on their territories. This paper will also discuss how an Indigenous research paradigm can be applied during the research process to ensure that the information is captured from the Indigenous perspectives of the participants.

scholarly journals Understanding Local Water Collaboration for the Potential to Enhance Community Source Water Protection at Chippewas of the Thames First Nation

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalya Garrod
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Water Insecurity ◽  
Source Water Protection ◽  
Local Water ◽  
Community Source

First Nations in Canada are disproportionately affected by chronic drinking water insecurity (Bakker, 2012). Aboriginal Affair and Northern Development Canada conducted an assessment of First Nations water and wastewater systems in 2001 and found significant risk to the quality and safety of drinking water on three- quarters of all systems (Johns and Rasmussen, 2008). Neegan Burnside (2011) classified four differentrisks that affect drinking water systems for First Nations, which include, no source water protection plan,deterioration of water quality over time, risk of contamination, and insufficient capacity to meet futurerequirements. This study found that the two highest risks were risk of source water contamination and thelack of a community source water protection plan (Neegan Burnside, 2011). Water security, sustainableaccess on a watershed basis to adequate quantities of water of acceptable quality to ensure human andecosystem health (Bakker, 2012), therefore requires source water protection and collaboration amongwater actors. Collaboration is defined as the pooling of resources by multiple stakeholders to solveproblems, which includes a balance of power among actors, mutually agreed upon objectives, is perceived as legitimate, and includes a wide variety of stakeholders (Ashlie, 2019; Van Der Porten, 2013; Spencer etal., 2016; Black & McBean, 2017).

Understanding Local Water Collaboration for the Potential to Enhance Community Source Water Protection at Chippewas of the Thames First Name

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalya Garrod
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Water Insecurity ◽  
Source Water Protection ◽  
Local Water ◽  
Community Source

First Nations in Canada are disproportionately affected by chronic drinking water insecurity (Bakker, 2012). Aboriginal Affair and Northern Development Canada conducted an assessment of First Nations water and wastewater systems in 2001 and found significant risk to the quality and safety of drinking water on three- quarters of all systems (Johns and Rasmussen, 2008). Neegan Burnside (2011) classified four differentrisks that affect drinking water systems for First Nations, which include, no source water protection plan,deterioration of water quality over time, risk of contamination, and insufficient capacity to meet futurerequirements. This study found that the two highest risks were risk of source water contamination and thelack of a community source water protection plan (Neegan Burnside, 2011). Water security, sustainableaccess on a watershed basis to adequate quantities of water of acceptable quality to ensure human andecosystem health (Bakker, 2012), therefore requires source water protection and collaboration amongwater actors. Collaboration is defined as the pooling of resources by multiple stakeholders to solveproblems, which includes a balance of power among actors, mutually agreed upon objectives, is perceived as legitimate, and includes a wide variety of stakeholders (Ashlie, 2019; Van Der Porten, 2013; Spencer etal., 2016; Black & McBean, 2017).

scholarly journals Source Water Protection Planning for Ontario First Nations Communities: Case Studies Identifying Challenges and Outcomes

Water ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie Collins ◽  
Deborah McGregor ◽  
Stephanie Allen ◽  
Craig Murray ◽  
Chris Metcalfe
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Source Water Protection

scholarly journals Lessons Learned Through Community-Engaged Planning

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J Patrick ◽  
Laura Machial ◽  
Kendra Quinney ◽  
Len Quinney
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
First Nation ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Source Water Protection ◽  
Western Values ◽  
Plan Making

This article explores the potential for community-engaged planning to empower Indigenous communities to take ownership of planning and plan-making. We do this through a source water protection planning process with a First Nation community in Alberta, Canada. Access to safe drinking water for many First Nation communities in Canada remains problematic. Source water protection planning seeks to better integrate land and water management to prevent contamination of the drinking water supply. We employ a community-based planning initiative to develop a source water protection plan. While the planning initiative developed a successful drinking water protection plan it also served to built trust between the participants, respected traditional and Western values, as well as empowered the community. Lessons learned from this initiative are shared.

Freshwater biodiversity conservation through source water protection: Quantifying the potential and addressing the challenges

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1022-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Abell ◽  
Kari Vigerstol ◽  
Jonathan Higgins ◽  
Shiteng Kang ◽  
Nathan Karres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
Freshwater Biodiversity ◽  
Source Water Protection
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