Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, MB – Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Chief Jennifer Bone and the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown–Indigenous Relations, marked a historic investment in a new water treatment plant to meet the community’s water infrastructure needs. Through the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund, the Government of Canada has provided total of $12 million to Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.
The new water treatment plant will connect more residences to piped water and will be built to service 2,400 people, with the capacity to expand and service up to 4,000 people. Sioux Valley Dakota Nation looks forward to the completion of the new water treatment plant, which will improve water accessibility and quality for residents and boost community well-being.
The Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund, announced in Budget 2021, provides recipients with the flexibility to design and deliver infrastructure projects that make the most sense for their communities. Funds can be used to support infrastructure projects such as water and waste-water facilities, health facilities, cultural facilities, schools, and housing.
The Government of Canada is working to reduce social and economic inequities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and is making immediate and long-term investments to close critical infrastructure gaps by or before 2030.
“Improving water accessibility and quality for residents is a priority. Our existing water treatment system cannot support our community’s expected population and expansion areas. Our residents need a modern water treatment plant to get safe and reliable water. We want all houses and businesses to be connected to the new plant’s piped water.” – Chief Jennifer Bone, Sioux Valley Dakota Nation
“We’re committed to closing the infrastructure and housing gaps faced by Indigenous communities in Canada. The funding allocated to Sioux Valley Dakota Nation announced today will help to support a brighter future for community members, for generations to come.” – The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown–Indigenous Relations
Quick facts
- Sioux Valley Dakota Nation hired Associated Engineering for pre-design, which confirmed that the present water treatment facility has reached the end of its service life and cannot fulfil current and future demands. The larger facility will provide safe and reliable water for the community’s rising requirements and the UV primary disinfection improves water safety and compliance.
- The exact design of the new water treatment plant is 90% complete and on schedule. Building is estimated to take 52–68 weeks.
- Friesen Drillers hydrogeological drilling and testing confirmed greater municipal water supply capacity, assuring the new facility will satisfy flow requirements. Groundwater samples also showed good-quality fresh water.
- Budget 2021 provided distinctions-based investments of $6 billion over five years, starting in 2021–22, with $388.9 million ongoing investments to support infrastructure in Indigenous communities, including:
- $4.3 billion over four years, starting in 2021–22, for the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund, a distinctions-based fund to support immediate demands, as prioritized by Indigenous partners and with shovel-ready infrastructure projects in First Nations, including with Modern Treaty and Self-Governing First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.
- $1.7 billion over five years, starting in 2021–22, with $388.9 million in ongoing investments to support the operation and maintenance of First Nation community infrastructure on reserves.