Minister Strahl Announces Contract to Assess Water and Wastewater Systems for First Nation Communities

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, May 25 (MARKET WIRE) --
The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern
Development and Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians
today announced the awarding of a contract to Neegan Burnside Limited to
conduct a national engineering assessment of existing public and private
water and wastewater systems providing services to First Nation
communities.

"This comprehensive engineering assessment will be an invaluable project
to help our government, together with First Nations, identify the water
and wastewater needs for their communities and help ensure money is going
where it is needed most," said Minister Strahl. "Moving forward with this
initiative is another example of the tangible progress and real action we
are taking to improve water quality on reserves."

The engineering assessment will take 18 months to complete and it will
involve the assessment of 1,300 communal water and wastewater systems and
a sampling of over 70,000 wells, cisterns, and septic fields in 607 First
Nations communities in nine regions across the country. The engineering
assessment will provide a more accurate account of the current state of
water and wastewater systems on reserves and enable both First Nations
and the federal government to focus resources on priorities required to
address identified needs for each community.

The Government of Canada is taking decisive action to improve water
conditions on reserves through new measures identified in the First
Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan (FNWWAP). This includes
completing engagement sessions in March 2009 on a proposed federal
legislative framework for drinking water on reserve as part of the
government's consultation process on a regulatory regime; improvements
and developments on water and wastewater protocols that will be issued
shortly; and moving forward with the national engineering assessment.

These initiatives are in addition to the federal government's ongoing
investments in water and wastewater, including the $165 million
investment for 18 water and wastewater projects for First Nation
communities identified in Canada's Economic Action Plan.

This contract was awarded following a competitive procurement process.

This news release and backgrounders are also available on the Internet
at: www.inac-ainc.gc.ca.

Contacts:
INAC
Media Relations
819-953-1160

Office of the Honourable Chuck Strahl
Nina Chiarelli
Press Secretary
819-997-0002

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