OTTAWA - Canada’s First Nations reserves are filthy, environmentally toxic places and the federal government has done little to stop it, suggests Auditor General Sheila Fraser.
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, which is charged with protecting First Nations’ environment, turned a blind eye to landfill sites, sewage treatments and disposals on reserves that pollute and operate without required permits, Fraser said.
She found septic systems, water treatment facilities, wastewater discharges and hazardous waste, which are strictly controlled by provincial and municipal laws, were not subject to any regulations on reserves.
“There are few federal regulations that apply to environmental protection on reserves, and the federal government has taken little action to change this,” Fraser said Tuesday.
First Nations have been raising alarm bells for years, the auditor general notes. The federal government is well aware of problems but fails to monitor and enforce compliance of the few regulations that exist, Fraser said.
Her report also found that while the government wants to encourage First Nations to manage their own land, it only plans to train one person per community, risking some duties will be forgotten if that person dies or leaves the reserve.
The department blamed a lack of funding for failing its obligations.
althia.raj@sunmedia.ca
