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Safe water needs skilled people.

We are proud to announce a new collaboration with Mamaweswen, The North Shore Tribal Council (NSTC), including seven member First Nations in Northern Ontario. 

Beginning in the summer of 2022, the NSTC Water First Internship will address the local needs identified by the community: to recruit and train more young adults to the field of water science. The comprehensive internship and certification program will help to increase local, technical capacity in the water management field. Not only for today, but for future generations as well.

"We started discussing this potential project with Water First in the fall of 2021. Today, we are excited to announce a partnership that will help recruit and train young Indigenous adults in the field of drinking water treatment."

“Current operators in our member communities do a terrific job with the resources available to them, and it’s recognized that more young, local operators are needed to help continue providing safe drinking water to our residents. With their focus on running local water plants, our operators are simply too busy to also design and deliver a comprehensive recruitment, training and tutoring program like the one Water First offers. Through this important partnership, we look forward to supporting the next generation of local water operators who will help protect the health and wellbeing of their communities and families.”

Angus Toulouse, Mamaweswen CEO

Having enough trained people to operate and maintain the systems is critical. 

Interns currently training with Water First shared their thoughts on what this means to them and their communities:

"I’m doing this for me to have more meaningful, stable employment opportunities. I’m doing this for my family and community, who rely on water operators on reserve to provide safe, clean drinking water."
Water First Intern: Laura Mallinson
Laura Mallinson, North Bay
Water First Intern
"I am doing this for our people. Water is life, and I consider this to be an honour to keep it protected for now and the future."
Water First Intern: Nathan Pamajewon
Nathan Pamajewon, Shawanaga First Nation
Water First Intern
Hunter Edison from Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation in Northwestern Ontario, and a recent graduate of the Drinking Water Internship Program, shares the genuine impact that his skills training has had on being able to support his community.
"At first, I was just doing this for myself, but then realized that providing clean water to the community is one of the most important things someone could do for the community."
Water First Intern: Dyami Tuskin
Dyami Tuskin, Shawanaga First Nation
Water First Intern

Strong communities. Safe, clean water.

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Water First acknowledges that our office lies within the traditional territory of the Petun and the Anishnaabeg, which consist of the Odawa, Ojibwe, and the Pottawatomi nations. The region in which we live and work has been a site of human activity for approximately 15,000 years, with Indigenous peoples being the sole inhabitants until as recently as 500 years ago. Water First is located on the territory covered by Lake Simcoe-Nottawasaga Treaty No. 18, of 1818.

Today, this area is still the home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work with the community in this territory.