Health Canada

Water issues need to be addressed across Canada

Water issues need to be addressed across Canada

Last Thursday, I took part in the House of Commons Environment Committee hearings into Canada’s freshwater resources. Appearing before us were representatives from Health Canada, Indigenous Services Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Global Affairs Canada. As you can imagine, the issue of freshwater resources is an immense and complicated—but extraordinarily important—subject, so the conversation was lively and illuminating. Indigenous Services officials were, of course, asked why there were still 28 First Nations communities with boil-water advisories eight years after the government promised to fix the huge problem of neglect they found when taking office. Most of these problems go back much further than eight years. For example, the Neskantaga First Nation in Ontario has been on a boil water advisory since 1995. While some of these situations face jurisdictional and engineering challenges, we can all agree they would have been fixed much more quickly in non-indigenous communities.

Environmental consultant provides update on fuel leak south of Quesnel

Environmental consultant provides update on fuel leak south of Quesnel

An update on the area of notification connected to the fuel leak at the Lhtako Gas & Convenience Store has been provided. SLR Consulting, the environmental consultant hired by Lhtako, says the area of notification for tap water sampling includes 36 separate legal properties off-reserve, and 1 on-reserve property. It says 30 off-reserve properties and the 1 on-reserve property have been tested as 4 of the legal properties share a well with an adjacent property and one has no building and is not occupied. SLR says to date the water on just 3 properties have been identified as having concentrations of gasoline-related parameters above Health Canada and provincial drinking water criteria.

BLOG: An Ontario problem, a prairie concern

BLOG: An Ontario problem, a prairie concern

In the spring of 2018, Health Canada proposed a ban on all agricultural uses of two insecticides, thiamethoxam and clothianidin. Health Canada scientists said the insecticides, known as neonics, were accumulating in ponds, creeks and other water bodies near agricultural land. The concentrations were harmful to midges and mayflies and therefore posed a threat to birds and other animals that rely on the insects for food.

Indigenous communities to be hit with ‘ecological grief, loss of land and traditional knowledge’ because of climate crisis

Indigenous communities to be hit with ‘ecological grief, loss of land and traditional knowledge’ because of climate crisis

The list of how the climate crisis is affecting Indigenous communities is long — and everything on it is to the detriment of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people says a new report from Health Canada. “The changing climate will exacerbate the health and socio-economic inequities already experienced by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, including respiratory, cardiovascular, water- and foodborne, chronic and infectious diseases, as well as financial hardship and food insecurity,” says the report called Health of Canadians in a Changing Climate that was released Thursday.

Two long-term water advisories lifted in Ontario First Nations as feds approach 2021 deadline

Two long-term water advisories lifted in Ontario First Nations as feds approach 2021 deadline

Two First Nations in northwestern Ontario are finally able to drink from their taps as they celebrated lifting long-term boil water advisories this week. Community members in Grassy Narrows First Nation, also known as Asubpeeschoseewagong, received a letter from Chief Rudy Turtle on September 29 which read: "As of TODAY the boil water advisory is NOW lifted. This means you can safely consume the tap water." One day later, the Wauzhushk Onigum Nation celebrated the end of their long-term boil water advisory at the completion of the $14-million project to connect the community to the city of Kenora's water and sewer system.

Another Ontario First Nation declares a state of emergency over water

Another Ontario First Nation declares a state of emergency over water

Eabametoong First Nation, an Ojibway community that sits about 360 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, passed a band council resolution declaring a state of emergency Friday after water test results showed levels of trihalomethanes (THMs) between 122 to 182 per cent above Health Canada safety standards.
Yesno said residents are also reporting a foul smell coming from the community's tap water.

Get the lead out: City homes will be affected by new Health Canada regulations on lead in water

Get the lead out: City homes will be affected by new Health Canada regulations on lead in water

Looming changes to Health Canada’s acceptable concentration levels of lead in drinking water could see a wash of city homes creep above the recommended level, Epcor warned city council’s utility committee Thursday. Presently, it’s considered safe to have up to 10 micrograms per litre in drinking water. But Epcor officials said Thursday that the federal health agency is signalling it will lower that level to five micrograms per litre, a change that will affect more than 30,000 Edmonton homes.