Global Newswire announced yesterday that Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively donated half a million dollars to the Canadian charity Water First Education & Training Inc. to support the locally-based hands-on skills training and education programs with indigenous communities. The program focuses on young indigenous adults in learning water science and becoming certified water operators and environmental technicians.

“One of the most fundamental challenges in Canada today is the lack of sustainable access to safe, clean water in many Indigenous communities,” writes Global Newswire. “Successive federal governments have failed to address the issue, with the likelihood of having no access to safe, clean water still far more prevalent in the lives of Indigenous Peoples, compared to non-Indigenous populations in Canada.”

At least 15%, or approximately one in six First Nations communities in Canada, are still under a drinking water advisory. Everyone has a right to safe, clean water. The water crisis in Indigenous communities is unacceptable.”

Water First

“Access to clean drinking water is a basic human right. Canada is home to over 20% of the planet’s freshwater — an abundance that’s envied around the world. There’s absolutely no reason Indigenous communities should not have access to safe, clean water. All the individuals involved, whether they are operating water systems or monitoring their local water bodies, are critical. We appreciate Water First’s focus on supporting young, Indigenous adults to become certified water operators and environmental technicians. These folks are helping to ensure sustainable access to safe, clean water locally, now and for the future. Blake and I are thrilled to support this important work.”

Ryan Reynolds

“Nobody understands the evolving challenges and needs more than the people who live there,” says Water First. “Drinking water challenges are complex: in some communities, local concerns may be around infrastructure, for others, source water contamination. And numerous communities have challenges recruiting and training young Indigenous adults to join the drinking water field.”

“Safe water needs skilled people”

Water First

Water First shares that Indigenous communities have identified the need for more young, qualified and local personnel to support solving water challenges. In partnership with indigenous community leaders, Water First customizes local water-focused education and training programs to align with community goals and needs. These partnerships are built on trust, meaningful collaboration and reciprocal learning.

Spencer Welling, Water First intern from Wasauksing First Nation shares, “I am doing this for myself, my family and community. It’s important to know how things are done and gives you a better appreciation for it. It’s a good career to have, which I’m sure would ease my parents’ minds knowing that. It also feels good knowing that my community will have a local water treatment operator at the plant for at least a couple decades.”

In 2018, CBC ran a story on a pilot training project that Water First ran with Indigenous youth to help tackle water challenges in their communities. The program ran as a 15-month paid internship toward ensuring communities have quality drinking water. Ten youth were involved. The training, which included week-long workshops (including mapping, traditional knowledge, and environmental science) and hands-on training at their local water treatment plants, focused towards a provincially recognized certification as a Water Quality Analyst. Certification through an exam at the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks permits them to do drinking water testing. They can receive further certification as operators through another exam.

Anyone interested in learning about Water First and its education and training programs can find out more at www.waterfirst.ngo.

Water First Education & Training Inc. (Water First) is a registered Canadian charity that works in partnership with Indigenous communities to address water challenges through education, training and meaningful collaboration. Since 2009, Water First has collaborated with 56 Indigenous communities located in the lands now known as Canada while supporting Indigenous youth and young adults to pursue careers in water science.

For more information, you can contact: 

Ami Gopal
Director of Development and Communications
Water First
1-905-805-0854
ami.gopal@waterfirst.ngo