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Dr. Geoffrey Hinton
Nobel Winner Donates Half of Prize Money to Water First
Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, a recent co-recipient of the prestigious Nobel Prize for Physics has announced a donation of $350,000 to...

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Group of students and educators conducting aquatic research in a shallow river stream.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively Donate $500,000

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have made a donation in support of locally-based, hands-on skills training and education programs. Reynolds’...

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Our latest news

Drone shot of three people in hip waders standing at the end of a dock and one person sitting on the dock. They are looking at papers and equipment on the dock.
Wrapping up the busy season! All the news from the Water First Environmental Water Program
These past few months have been an exciting and busy time for the Environmental Water team! As we embrace fall,...

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Download Summer 2026
Environmental Water Interns survey a stream as part of hands-on field training, building practical skills in environmental monitoring. The internship includes 2,000 hours of immersive, field-based experience.
11 Indigenous Adults Join the Environmental Water Internship
This summer, 11 Indigenous adults from the Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations are embarking on a transformative journey with...

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A group of Water First Staff and Alumni post for a picture on a walkway next to the water
Tap into all the news from the Water First Drinking Water Program
At the heart of solving long-term water challenges in Indigenous communities are the dedicated individuals gaining the skills to make...

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Water First Drinking Water Interns from AKRC and Big Island First Nation celebrate their graduation as Class 1 Water Operators
New Water Operators Graduate Internship Program
There are eight new Indigenous Water Operators embarking on a future in water protection, after the latest class of Drinking...

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Young man demonstrates a colorful spinning wheel to three seated children at an outdoor picnic table.
Our Week with Rama First Nation

Recently, Water First visited Rama Elementary to spend three days delivering water science workshops with students in Grades 10-12. Instructors...

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A group of children and an adult examine a water sample by a lake.
Highlights from the Spring 2026 Virtual Event
Highlights from the spring 2026 virtual event, Safe Water Needs Skilled People. Featuring speakers from all three of our core...

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Two Drinking Water Interns work on a water filtration exercise
Annual Report 2025
"Training and education programs mean little without the people that are involved: the interns, the students, the trainers, the community...

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Three children in hip waders standing in a lake
Much More Than Water – A Water First Virtual Event
Check out the highlights from our virtual event that happened in November. Spotlight on Mentorship 2025...

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A technician inspects a water filtration control panel with pipes, valves, and gauges.
Wade in! All the news from the Water First Drinking Water Program
At the heart of solving long-term water challenges in Indigenous communities are the dedicated individuals gaining the skills to make...

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Illustration of what the Operations Hub will look like
Creemore Operations Hub

Introducing Water First’s New Operations Hub We’re expanding our centre of operations in Creemore, Ontario! As demand for our programming...

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Screenshot from the video
Kelsey Roy, Land Guardian and Water First Graduate

This short documentary follows Kelsey Roy, a Water First Environmental Water Internship graduate, as she shares her experience in the...

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IRTC Environmental Water Week

Drinking water advisory statistics are for federally maintained systems on First Nations reserve lands only. These numbers do not include private systems or systems in Inuit communities.

Drinking water advisories include short-term (under 1 year) and long-term (more than 1 year) boil water advisories, do not consume advisories, and do not use advisories for First Nation communities in Canada.

Calculating the number of drinking water advisories is a complex process. Water First relies on information from several different sources. 

Sources: www.watertoday.ca, www.sac-isc.gc.ca, www.fnha.ca.

Last Updated: July 2026