The Team

Dr. Hans Peterson - Founder of SDWT

The Team

Dr. Hans Peterson - Founder of SDWT

First Nations workers in Sask. sacrifice wages, vacation to run underfunded water systems

February 22, 2021

First Nations workers in Sask. sacrifice wages, vacation to run underfunded water systems

Nicole Hancock

February 22, 2021

First Nations workers in Sask. sacrifice wages, vacation to run underfunded water systems

Nicole Hancock

February 22, 2021

Read the StarPhoenix Article

Tagged: First Nations, water operators, Saskatchewan, on call, minimum wage, safe drinking water, communities, Nathan Martell, Moosomin First Nation, power outage, middle of the night, broken part, troubleshoot, certification in water and waste water management, high demand, pension, benefits, pay, perks, First Nation, good quality water, family, home, long hours, low pay, on-reserve water treatment plant, universities, media outlets, Concordia University's Institute for Investigative Journalism, survey, water plant operators, managers, public works employees, University of Regina's School of Journalism, First Nations University of Canada, Indigenous Communication Arts, lower than median wage, close to minimum wage, on call 24/7, federal government, underfunded, operation and maintenance, on-reserve water and waste water systems, Indigenous Services Canada, funding formulas, Rebecca Zagozewski, executive director, Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association, non-profit organization, build First Nations' capacity, take care and control, own water services, recruitment, retention, real problem, Saskatchewan First Nations, essential jobs, unsupported, no replacement, goes wrong, safety of drinking water, reliant on one or a few workers, overworked, same position, same water plants, appropriate wages, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Liberals, end all long-term boil-water advisories, First Nations communities, timeline not met, targeted funds, invested, support water projects, support waste water projects, new construction, major upgrades, O&M, umbrella term, day-to-day activities, salaries of water operators, public works personnel, water treatment plants, distribution systems, cost of replacement parts, supplies, chemicals, electricity, inspections, Parliamentary Budget Officer, consequences, insufficient funding, underfunding of O&M, infrastructure failing prematurely, annual departmental results report, inspected water and waste water systems on reserves, projected to remain operational, life-cycles, distributions systems, unblocked, emergency repairs, shoestring budgets, juggle funding around, Mervin Lathlin, operations and maintenance manager for Shoal Lake Cree Nation, Prince Albert, bill payments, delayed, shipments of chemicals, local supplier, bills, Red Earth Cree Nation, shipment, funding formula, First Nations cover 20 per cent, struggle to come up with their share, user fees, high costs of living, unemployment levels, Marc Miller, fully cover, calculated O&M costs, does not sufficiently capture the costs, running the facilities, antiquated, inadequate, funding model, technological progress, changes in labour market conditions, First Nations Engineering Services Ltd., Carolyn Bennett, Assembly of First Nations National Chief, Perry Bellegarde, joint statement, outdated, First Nations needs, reforms to the policy, fiscal relationship, timeline, reformed policy's implementation, general strategy, agreed upon, allocate funding, costs each First Nation actually incurs, make infrastructure last as long as possible, formula, March 2021 deadline, O&M concerns, old formula, additional funds, expected to assist First Nations, retain qualified water operators, new funding, The Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association, Saskatchewan First Nations water operators, median salary for water operators in Saskatchewan, overtime, recruiting and retaining operators, funding allocation, favour to their community, Deon Hassler, Carry the Kettle First Nation, board member, circuit rider, File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council, assist, constant turnover, backup operators, want to retire, water treatment plant upgrades or replacements, operational funding, qualified operators, necessary certifications, not doing his job, not doing his maintenance, brand new water plant, contaminated water, training, gaps, pay trainees, frequent breakdowns, inappropriate for the conditions, preventative maintenance, frequent problems, stress for employees, up-to-date, David Swift, Thunderchild First Nation, independent contractor, Nekaneet First Nation, Tim O'Flannigan, project manager, Nekaneet's water treatment plant, spare parts or equipment, extra water pumps, green sand filtration plants, source water, high levels of contaminants, iron, manganese, biofilter systems, nanofiltration systems, backwash, other breakdowns, other equipment problems, other water plant issues, James Cappo, Muscowpetung First Nation, upgrades, renovations, pandemic, old system, breaks down, pumps gave out, rusted right through, stressful, work through the night, band made money available, Chief Swiftwolfe, new people

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