PIKANGIKUM DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY DUE TO CRITICAL STATE OF WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE

PIKANGIKUM FIRST NATION, ON, May 8, 2025 /CNW/ - Pikangikum First Nation ("Pikangikum") has been forced to declare a state of emergency due to the critical state of water and wastewater infrastructure on its Reserve. For months, Pikangikum's Chief and Council have been forced to implement daily water conservation measures to prevent the closure of critical community institutions, including the community's only school. Despite the First Nation leadership's pleas for immediate assistance and long-term action from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), there has been no response. Today (May 8, 2025), the First Nation filed a motion in Federal Court for emergency relief from the Government of Canada.

Over the last two decades, the First Nation completed multiple studies for the purposes of upgrading the Nation's aging water and wastewater treatment facilities – most recently, in 2024. These studies have all confirmed what has been known for years: Pikangikum's existing infrastructure is woefully inadequate to meet its current and projected needs, including for consumption, sanitation, and firefighting. The existing wastewater infrastructure in the community routinely fails, contaminating the community's lake and its treated water reservoir.

In February 2025, a technical assessment of the community's infrastructure recommended a series of urgent repairs and upgrades just to preserve the status quo. Pikangikum's request for immediate federal assistance to complete those repairs remains unanswered by Indigenous Services Canada. Meanwhile, the failure of the remote Nation's aging water and wastewater infrastructure will directly endanger the health and wellbeing of its more than 4,000 residents. 

"When we met with Canada in February this year, I implored ISC to provide with real long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes, but even the temporary fixes they won't address," explained Pikangikum Chief Paddy Peters. "Nothing changes. Canada makes repeated promises for improvements that never come.  Meanwhile, the health of our people is at risk every day.  They live in conditions that would shock most Canadians, and we are told to keep studying the problem."

Pikangikum has a long history of unanswered calls for federal assistance to provide potable water and basic water and wastewater infrastructure to its residents.  The Nation endured an E.coli outbreak in the community's treated water supply at the same time as the E.coli crisis in Walkerton, Ontario. The community has experienced multiple long- and short-term drinking water advisories, including from October 2000 to July 2002, and from October 2005 to September 2019.

The most recent advisory occurred in February 2024 and remains in effect. Pikangikum has been forced to declare states of emergency in 2000, 2011 and 2015, all due to the lack of potable or running water.

The Nation now seeks emergency relief from the Federal Court to compel Canada to address the urgent water and wastewater situation. Pikangikum is asking the Court to order Canada to deliver adequate water and sanitation services in Pikangikum, comparable to the safety and reliability standards enjoyed by the rest of Canada.

"When I was thirty years old, I was first elected to office as Chief. At that time, I did not have running water or a washroom in my home," noted Chief Peters. "I am now sixty-eight, and again as the Chief, I still do not have running water or a washroom in my home. Can you imagine? The Chief of one of the largest First Nations in this area has no running water or indoor washroom facilities! Each day, everyone in my household has to wash from the same bowl of water.  This is same situation for my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and my entire community. In 2025, our people still draw their drinking water from the lake because there is no trust that our treated water is safe to drink.  For decades, we have waited for Canada. It's inhumane to make our people wait any longer."

Pikangikum is calling on Canada to uphold the honour of the Crown and address the urgent and immediate needs of this Nation on the brink of humanitarian disaster.  

SOURCE Pikangikum First Nation

For inquiries or more information, please contact: Carolina Budiman, Pikangikum Health Authority, [email protected]; Alternative contacts: Deputy Chief Jonah Strang, Pikangikum Band Office, 807-773-5578 or 807-773-5523; Yana Sobiski, Headwaters LLP, 807-468-1435