Rat Portage First Nation, Ontario government and federal government invest in infrastructure projects 0

Rat Portage First Nation chief Chris Skead is glad to have help in funding the First Nation's water infrastructure projects. Amber McGuckin/Kenora Daily Miner and News/Postmedia Network

Wauzhushk Onigum (Rat Portage) First Nation is hoping for the end to their water woes over the past 20 years after the provincial and federal government announced funding for water infrastructure projects in the community.

Rat Portage, the Ontario government and the federal government have each committed $278,780 for infrastructure improvements to the First Nation's wastewater treatment system and drinking water infrastructure.

Ed Skead, Rat Potage First Nation councillor, is pleased with the announcement because of the concerns they've had over the years with their water safety.

"Everybody is at risk health-wise and so forth. We have elders, we have youth here and people who may already have health issues already, so you don't want to subject them to non-adequate drinking water. So we will now be able to provide quality, safe drinking water," he said.

The water treatment plant on the First Nation was constructed in 1990, but the community has had boil water advisories periodically over the years since.

"We've had issues there since day one," said Skead.

Rat Portage First Nation chief Chris Skead said they don't have a timeline on when the upgrades can take place.

"It has cost the community so much dollars. As First Nations we don't have too much money to band-aid it as is. This will definitely alleviate some funding costs that the band has to pay for," he said. "It's going to upgrade our current water treatment plant as well as a couple of cells."

The chief said they are keeping in mind connecting their system to the City of Kenora's.

"It's something we could look to in the future," he said. "It's just with our location, we're so close. They're basically just across the lake."

Kenora MP Greg Rickford was at the Golden Eagle Bingo Casino for the funding announcement. He said they've been working with the community for the past couple of years.

"We're just glad to see it come to fruition," he said. "Some of this infrastructure down the road will have to be relocated so here today we're taking that first important step."

The funding for the project from the federal government is coming from their Small Communities Fund. For the province, the funding for the project comes from the Ontario government's largest infrastructure investment of more than $130 billion over 10 years for infrastructure projects.

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