‘Not an honest effort’: First Nations leaders say water infrastructure must account for climate change
By Michael Wrobel and Erica Endemann
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In 2014, Mitaanjigamiing First Nation, on the edge of Rainy Lake in northwestern Ontario, declared a state of emergency when high water levels led to flooding that threatened some of its infrastructure, including the only access road in and out of the community. Sandbagging helped to limit the damage.
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In 2019, Mitaanjigamiing received $51,354 from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) to do a flood vulnerability study. Study in hand, the community will soon prepare a project proposal for funding to address and mitigate the flood risks that were identified.
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In addition to ISC’s funding of these mitigation projects, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) has provided $31 million to First Nations since 2016 for flood vulnerability studies and climate risk assessments — reports that help communities understand how their infrastructure could be affected by climate change. The department said its “First Nations Adapt” program would disburse another $8 million for such reports by the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year.
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Researchers expect harmful algal blooms to occur more often as climate change warms temperatures globally. Cyanobacteria prefer warmer waters, and higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the air and water also promote their growth. As growth accelerates, a vicious cycle can ensue: the blooms absorb sunlight and warm the water more, leading to the growth of even more algae.
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