Archived - National First Nations Consolidated Infrastructure Investment Report 2013-2014

Program Overview

The purpose of the Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program is to provide financial support and advice to First Nations in acquiring, constructing, operating and maintaining community infrastructure at standards comparable to neighbouring communities. The program makes investments to maximize the life cycle of physical assets, mitigate health and safety risks, ensure assets meet applicable codes and standards, and ensure assets are managed in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

The Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program provides funding for housing and community infrastructure, including water and wastewater systems, education facilities, roads and bridges, electrification, and community buildings, as well as funding for capacity building, including water and wastewater system operators training and fire protection awareness.

Program Planning

Under the Management Control Framework for the Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program, AANDC uses First Nation Infrastructure Investment Plans for capital planning. This process aims to improve resource management and increase accountability through better capital planning. An effective process depends on:

• nationally consistent planning practices, such as using a standardized Regional First Nation Infrastructure Investment Plan template;
• using the best-available information to create plans and then to update them to reflect the current situation;
• submission of community plans to their respective regions, followed by submission of regional plans to HQ, as per established timelines; and
• plans that are balanced with community and regional allocations.

The FNIIP planning process reflects the existing approval authorities and roles and responsibilities set out in the Management Control Framework. It is designed around three linked plans that feed into each other:

• a community level plan, detailing infrastructure needs;
• a regional plan, planning out program investments; and
• a national plan, that provides a strategic overview of First Nations infrastructure needs and Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program investments.

Program Delivery

Contributions to eligible recipients under the Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program provides financial assistance to plan, construct and/or acquire, and operate and maintain community capital facilities and services (infrastructure, including schools) and housing (residential) consistent with approved policies and standards. This assistance is provided to First Nations on reserves, as well as First Nations and other eligible recipients on Crown land or recognized Indian land.

The Department's Regional Offices work in collaboration with First Nations to establish and prioritize their community First Nation Infrastructure Investment Plan according to the Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program's National Priority Ranking Framework. The highest priority is assigned to those projects which mitigate the most urgent health and safety risks. Protection of assets through adequate operation and maintenance is also important to mitigating health and safety concerns and ensuring that existing and new assets reach their full life cycle.

AANDC's policies and procedures relating to the Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program are set out in a number of frameworks. These policies are mainly in the department's Level of Service Standards, as well as the protocols for drinking water and wastewater systems, and the school space accommodation standards. The Department's policy, as stated in the Level of Service Standards, is to support and assist First Nations in providing basic community services comparable to the levels of services that would generally be available in non-First Nations communities of similar size and circumstances.

Program Oversight

AANDC provides funding support to First Nations to pay for operations and maintenance during the service life of their assets. AANDC tracks the ongoing condition of these assets through different mechanisms. For water and wastewater systems, AANDC tracks the systems' risk level through Annual Performance Inspections. For education facilities and other community infrastructure, including water and wastewater systems, AANDC tracks their ongoing condition through inspections that are carried out at least once every three years with the Asset Condition Reporting Systems. First Nations report on the adequacy of their housing on an annual basis with the use of a Data Collection Instrument.

Life Cycle of Funded Assets

AANDC promotes a life cycle approach for infrastructure assets starting with the use of full life-cycle costing when approving capital construction projects. This type of analysis allows for the consideration of all the associated costs (e.g. for design, construction, operation and maintenance, insurance, and major renovations) of the proposed infrastructure throughout its entire life cycle. This information is used to make comparisons between proposed options (e.g. building an expensive installation with low operating and maintenance costs versus a less-expensive facility with higher operating and maintenance costs) to determine the most cost-effective option in the short-, medium-, and long-term. This exercise is also useful in determining the funding levels required from the First Nation in future years for the operation and maintenance of the proposed infrastructure.

During an asset's service life, AANDC provides funding support to First Nations to help pay for the operation and maintenance costs of funded infrastructure assets. AANDC also encourages good asset management practices by recommending that First Nations implement Maintenance Management Plans for major capital assets. To help First Nations achieve longer term use of existing assets, AANDC funds inspections of some community assets, such as schools and water and wastewater systems. Currently, the performance of water and wastewater systems is assessed annually while the condition of schools and other asset classes, including water and wastewater systems, is inspected on a three year cycle at a minimum.

As part of its efforts to encourage good asset management, AANDC funds an on-site training and mentoring program for water and wastewater system operators in First Nation communities called the Circuit Rider Training Program. This program has helped improve the capacity levels of the water and wastewater systems operators and the operation of systems, as well as helping First Nations benefit from the full service life of these assets.

Performance Measurement

In 2013-2014, performance for the Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program is measured in accordance with the program's 2009 Performance Measurement Strategy. The program has 21 Key Performance Indicators with targets set until 2016. The Performance Measurement Strategy was renewed in April 2014 with 20 Key Performance Indicators with targets set until 2019. Performance results are reported in the Departmental Performance Report as well as in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy for water and wastewater system risk.

Funding Allocations

AANDC allocates funding for the construction and the maintenance of community infrastructure to First Nations at regional level through formula and/or proposal based project funding. The Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program budget is divided into:

Formula-based funding, which includes:

• Operations and Maintenance^{Footnote 1} for the operation and maintenance of existing community infrastructure assets. The level of funding provided to the First Nation varies from 20 per cent to 100 per cent depending on the type of asset.
• Minor Capital Formula:^{Footnote 2} for housing and for acquisition, construction, renovation, or repair projects valued below $1.5 million.

Proposal-based funding, which includes:

• Minor Capital: for housing and for acquisition, construction, renovation, or repair projects valued below $1.5 million.
• Major Capital: for specific construction, acquisition, renovation, or significant repair projects valued above $1.5 million.

Major capital projects are funded primarily by targeted initiatives such as: funding announced by the Government of Canada for education facilities as part of the Economic Action Plan 2012, the continuation of the First Nation Infrastructure Fund announced in Economic Action Plan 2013, the extension of the First Nations Water & Wastewater Action Plan, the $500 million over seven years for Education Facilities and the $40 million over five years for Disaster Mitigation, each announced in Economic Action Plan 2014.

Eligible Initiatives and Projects

Eligible initiatives and projects are those that assist First Nations in acquiring, constructing, and operating and maintaining housing and community infrastructure including water and wastewater systems, schools, roads and bridges, electrification, and community buildings; to sustain community infrastructure including solid waste management; energy systems; local roads and bridges; connectivity; and planning and skills development or to hold activities to raise the level of fire protection awareness. The Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program's Contributions to Support the Construction and Maintenance of Community Infrastructure provide further details on what supports are provided to eligible recipients.

Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program at Glance 2013-2014

Description of Graph 3.1 – 5-Year Funding Trend (All Votes) – All Assets ($M)

This is a chart showing the five year funding trend of the entire Capital Facilities Maintenance Program (CFMP) for the years 2009-2010 to 2013-2014. Each fiscal year is divided into A-Base funding, Targeted funding, and Salary & Administration funding. The graph is a stacked bar chart.

• In 2009-2010, A-Base represents $813M, Targeted $441M and Salary & Administration $36M for a total of $1,290M.
• In 2010-2011, A-Base represents $755M, Targeted $504M and Salary & Administration $38M for a total of $1,297M.
• In 2011-2012, A-Base represents $780M, Targeted $279M and Salary & Administration $34M for a total of $1,093M.
• In 2012-2013, A-Base represents $755M, Targeted $282M and Salary & Administration $33M for a total of $1,070M.
• In 2013-2014, A-Base represents $783M, Targeted $223M and Salary & Administration $30M for a total of $1,036M.

Graph 3.1 shows the funding that has been provided by the Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program over the past five years. As can be seen, A-base provides the majority of funds to First Nation infrastructure projects, followed by targeted initiatives, such as First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan, and the smallest portion of funding goes to salaries and administration. While A-base and salary and administration funding will stay relatively constant, targeted initiatives fluctuate more from year to year as special programs come to an end or as new initiatives are announced by the Government of Canada. In each of the following sections for each program area a similar graph will be provided, with funding broken into the three areas of A-base, Targeted Initiatives and Salary and Administration for the past five years.

Investment Highlights

In 2013-2014, the Department saw some major achievements in the area of infrastructure. The Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act received Royal Assent on June 19, 2013 and came into force on November 1, 2013. This Act will help to ensure the safety of drinking water on reserves and will result in the development of regulations for all First Nation communities that are consistent with what exists in other Canadian communities. In addition, on February 17, 2014, the Government of Canada committed to the continued implementation of the First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan with an additional $323.4 million over two years to improve water and wastewater infrastructure in First Nation communities.

Fire safety was an important focus for AANDC throughout 2013-2014. In partnership with the Aboriginal Firefighters' Association of Canada, the Department supported the launch of the national BeFireSafe education campaign on March 20, 2014 to raise awareness of the importance of fire prevention in First Nation communities.

In April 2013, AANDC continued its collaboration with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to improve housing outcomes with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. This was an important milestone towards improving partnerships between federal organizations with the common goal of improving housing outcomes on reserve. It will enable the organizations to increase the sharing of information related to capacity-development initiatives and promote project collaboration where feasible.

Finally, another highlight in 2013-2014 was the successful support of the National First Nations Infrastructure Conference and Tradeshow "Building for a Sustainable Future" organized by the Assembly of First Nations. This conference focused on a wide range of infrastructure topics including alternative infrastructure financing options and procurement strategies, innovative technologies for water, housing and infrastructure and housing capacity development opportunities. This conference saw First Nations convene in Toronto for two days of meeting and discussions, and had 526 participants from across the country.

Sub-Category Description

The goal of the Water and Wastewater sub-category is to support residents on First Nations land in meeting health and safety standards and quality service comparable to those enjoyed by other Canadians living in communities of similar size and location. The Government of Canada's comprehensive long-term strategic approach to support improved drinking water and wastewater systems on First Nations lands is based on the following four pillars: enhanced capacity building and operator training (in particular through the Circuit Rider Training Program), enforceable standards and protocols, infrastructure investments, and protection of public health.

This sub-category supports the provision of funding for the planning, procurement, design, construction, upgrade, renovation, decommissioning, and operation and maintenance of infrastructure facilities, including: community water supply, treatment and distribution systems; and community wastewater collection, treatment and disposal systems. It includes the provision of funding for: coordination, training and capacity building for activities related to water and wastewater facilities, identification of on-reserve water and wastewater infrastructure needs, development of water and wastewater infrastructure capital plans, and the planning and delivery of water and wastewater services on-reserve.

As First Nations are owners of their water and wastewater systems and are responsible for their daily operation and management, they are responsible for identifying funding requirements supporting their infrastructure and, in collaboration with AANDC regional offices, ensuring these are included in the First Nation Infrastructure Investment Plan, which captures proposal and formula-based infrastructure needs for all asset categories, including water and wastewater.

In addition to the recurring base budget (A-Base) provided towards First Nations water and wastewater systems, the Water and Wastewater Program makes annual investments through the First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan. This horizontal initiative, which was first introduced in 2008 and recently extended by the Government of Canada over two years, beginning in 2014-2015, is a joint AANDC-Health Canada initiative that aims at improving the health and quality of life of people in First Nation communities by assisting First Nations to provide better water and wastewater services to their residents.

The First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan resource allocations are prioritized as follows:

• Priority 1 – Operation and Maintenance: Operations and Maintenance of water and wastewater facilities and systems.
• Priority 2 – Training/capacity to operate: the Circuit Rider Training Program and the additional training of water and wastewater operators (e.g. courses, travel to courses, fees for exams, other certification-related expenses).
• Priority 3 – Capital: construction and upgrades to water and wastewater facilities and systems:
  • Supporting First Nations in completing contractual obligations;
  • Bringing existing systems up to standard; and
  • Construction of significant upgrades and/or new systems.

To be eligible for AANDC funding, all water and wastewater projects proposals must demonstrate that the systems are designed to meet and be operated according to the standards found within the Protocol for Centralised Drinking Water Systems in First Nations Communities, the Protocol for Centralised Wastewater Systems in First Nations Communities, and the Protocol for Decentralised Water and Wastewater Systems in First Nations Communities.

Projects must also demonstrate that they are the most cost-effective solution after examining all options, including but not limited to decentralized systems, trucked systems, piped systems, and mixes thereof, as per AANDC's Water and Wastewater Policy and Level of Services Standards.

In addition to capital investments, AANDC provides First Nations with ongoing Operations and Maintenance investments for water and wastewater systems built with departmental funds. As owners of the facilities, First Nations are responsible for the operation and maintenance, and are expected to contribute to the associated costs. The Department's policy is to fund up to 80 percent of Operations and Maintenance expenses for water and wastewater facilities.

Operations and Maintenance funding supports operation costs such as the purchase of chemicals to treat water and wastewater, operational supplies, salaries and training and other personnel costs. Funding for maintenance is provided to ensure that systems continue to run safely and in optimal condition throughout their lifespan. Operations and Maintenance funding amounts vary based on the number of systems being funded and on the type and size of the systems, operator training needs and the remoteness level. Remoteness level is considered as it affects costs related to availability and transportation of goods.

Furthermore, in order to help communities build capacity to manage, operate and maintain their water and wastewater facilities, AANDC provides funding to various partners that provide community operators with training to manage, operate and maintain their water and wastewater facilities through the Circuit Rider Training Program. The Circuit Rider Training Program coordinates a rotation of qualified experts through a circuit of First Nations communities, providing the First Nation water and wastewater operators with on-site, hands-on training and mentoring for operating and maintaining their drinking water and wastewater systems. The program provides operators additional support via 24-hour hotlines for advice and trouble-shooting during normal operations and for any emergencies that may arise.

Oversight

To protect public health and safety, and ensure drinking water and wastewater systems are reliable throughout their life-span, these systems are inspected regularly to monitor their physical condition, identify maintenance deficiencies, and monitor ongoing system performance in providing safe drinking water and effectively treated wastewater effluent.

Asset Condition Reporting Systems inspections are performed once every three years by a qualified person to assess condition of the asset, adequacy of maintenance efforts and needs for additional maintenance work. The inspection results are used in establishing regional prioritization for funding allocations during the First Nations Infrastructure Investment Plan process.

Annual Performance Inspections, which include site visits conducted by a qualified inspector, are carried out annually to assess program key performance indicators and risk levels, per the protocols. In order to address the most pressing needs in First Nations communities, the Department uses the results from the Annual Performance Inspection to develop action plans to address noted deficiencies for the systems inspected and to help prioritize risk mitigation activities. Risk levels are also fed into the National Priority Ranking Framework and the Priority Framework for Water and Wastewater Projects, which are tools used to prioritize projects in the development of long-term First Nations Infrastructure Investment plans.

AANDC measures risk comprehensively by taking into account an extensive set of factors that could lead to problems with water and wastewater systems. It is important to note that a risk rating is a measure of overall system risk, not of water or wastewater safety or quality.

Overall system risk is calculated using a weighted value for each category as follows:

The following priority ranking matrix has been applied to both water and wastewater systems (scores are out of 10).

• Low Risk (scores of 1 to 4): systems that operate with minor or no deficiencies.
• Medium Risk (scores of 4.1 to 7): systems that have deficiencies that, individually or combined, pose a medium risk to the quality of water and human health.
• High Risk (scores of 7.1 to 10): systems with major deficiencies that, individually or combined, pose a high risk to the quality of water.

The results of the 2013-2014 Annual Performance Inspections cycle show that the number of water systems rated as high risk has decreased by 9 per cent and the number of wastewater systems rated as high risk has decreased by 5 per cent since 2011-2012 Annual Performance Inspections were conducted.

Water & Wastewater at a Glance 2013-2014

Description of figure 4.1 – 5-Year Funding Trend (All Votes) – Water & Wastewater ($M)

This is a chart showing the five year funding trend of the Water & Wastewater program area for the years 2009-2010 to 2013-2014. Each fiscal year is divided into A-Base funding, Targeted funding, and Salary & Administration funding. The graph is a stacked bar chart.

• In 2009-2010, A-Base represents $166M, Targeted $200M and Salary & Administration $13M for a total of $379M.
• In 2010-2011, A-Base represents $140M, Targeted $236M and Salary & Administration $18M for a total of $394M.
• In 2011-2012, A-Base represents $149M, Targeted $152M and Salary & Administration $10M for a total of $311M.
• In 2012-2013, A-Base represents $133M, Targeted $158M and Salary & Administration $11M for a total of $302M.
• In 2013-2014, A-Base represents $139M, Targeted $147M and Salary & Administration $9M for a total of $295M.

For a detailed list of all funded Water & Wastewater proposal projects for 2013-2014 please refer to Annex A of this report.

Investment Highlights

Water and wastewater projects funded by AANDC include the construction of new treatment facilities, the construction of water and wastewater storage facilities, the expansion of existing systems, renovations or upgrades of systems, the servicing of lots for new home constructions, installation of remote monitoring systems, supply lines, intakes, pumping stations, distribution system piping, house service connections, fire hydrants, tank trucks, storage reservoirs, lift stations, lagoons, force mains, sewage collection piping, manholes, outfall sewers, storage tanks, collection vehicles, and storm, sewers.

From April 2006 to March 2014, the Government of Canada has invested approximately $3 billion to support First Nations in managing their water and wastewater infrastructure, including Health Canada funding. Between fiscal years 2008-2009 and 2013-2014, the average annual departmental spending to support First Nations water and wastewater services has been approximately $332 million.

In 2013-2014, 543 First Nations and 74 Tribal Councils received funding to support 733 on-reserve drinking water systems and 49 service agreements with municipalities to provide drinking water services. First Nations received approximately $146 million in capital investments ($57 million in A-Base Capital and $88 million in First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan Capital) from AANDC for water and wastewater projects. Projects funded included the construction of new treatment facilities, the construction of water and wastewater storage facilities, the expansion of existing systems and the servicing of lots for new home construction.

In addition to capital investments, AANDC also provided First Nations with $140 million in Operations and Maintenance investments ($81 million in A-Base Operations and Maintenance and $58 million in First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan Operations and Maintenance) for water and wastewater systems built with departmental funds.

Toquaht First Nation, BC – Water System Treatment and Upgrades

The Toquaht First Nation has an on-reserve population of 350 and is located on Vancouver Island, south of Tofino. The water system treatment and upgrade project included the construction of a water treatment plant, upgrades to the reservoir and water intake structures and repairs to the water distribution system. The project also included an electrical grid system expansion to the new treatment plant and upgrades on the access road to the reservoir.

Toquaht's water system was considered high risk and the community was on a long term Boil Water Advisory. Summer flows from the former intake source were inadequate to provide sufficient water for the community.

The $2.2 million project provided slow sand filtration and chlorine disinfection for the surface water source supplying water to this small First Nation. The treatment plant is designed to allow for expansion, allowing for growth within the community and its proposed developments. This project was completed in 2013.

Moosomin First Nation, Saskatchewan – Water Treatment Plant Upgrade

The Moosomin First Nation has an on-reserve population of 1,115 and is located near North Battleford, Saskatchewan. The water treatment plant upgrade addresses a high risk system in the national assessment and is funded with First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan funds. The scope of work includes an existing well upgrade, new stand-alone water treatment plant including biological filtration and membrane treatment, reservoir, back-up systems and de-commissioning of the existing plant. Construction started in 2013-2014 and is estimated to cost $5.1 million.

Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario – New Water Supply and Treatment System

The Six Nations of the Grand River have a combined on-reserve population of 12,244 and are located in southern Ontario, near Hamilton. The existing treatment plant for the Six Nations is operating beyond capacity and disruptions in production of water put the communities at risk.

Investment in a new water treatment system was approved in 2011 and construction is currently underway. The new water supply and treatment system is comprised of a raw water intake, a raw water storage/sedimentation/clarification system, a low lift station, a raw water force main, and an 1800 m² water treatment plant. The new system will connect to the existing water distribution system.

The total cost of this project is $41 million. AANDC committed a maximum contribution of $26 million, with the community agreeing to contribute $15 million. The project is expected to be completed in 2014-2015.

Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, Quebec – Water and Sewer Infrastructure

Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation has a registered on-reserve population of 1,572 and is located near Maniwaki, Quebec, approximately 130 km north of Ottawa-Gatineau. The water and wastewater infrastructure project was needed to meet the housing requirements stemming from the significant population growth that Kitigan Zibi has been experiencing over the past few years. The project consisted of new water and sanitary wastewater systems in the existing community that will also service a new subdivision of 17 lots currently under development. Phase 1 of the $2.8 million dollar project was completed in September 2013. The remaining phases are being implemented on a yearly basis with the final phase to be completed in the fall of fiscal year 2015-2016.

Bouctouche First Nation, New Brunswick – Community Water Supply Upgrades

Bouctouche First Nation has an on-reserve population of 74 and is located approximately 60 km north of Moncton, New Brunswick. Their current water system was constructed 20 years ago and consists of a pump house containing pressure tanks, chlorine pump and feed, and distribution main. The water source is a single well located adjacent to the pump house. A back up well was developed in 2005, but had not been connected to the existing pump house. In 2008, the community water distribution tested positive for E-coli which prompted a Boil Water Advisory.

The Community Water Supply Upgrades Project was undertaken to bring the community's water system up to national standards for design and treatment. AANDC invested $2.3 million towards the upgrades to the water system, which consisted of a new pump house, an above ground water storage reservoir, a connection between the existing back up well and the system, and the completion of a well field protection plan.

The project was completed in March 2014, and the Boil Water Advisory was removed.

Looking Forward

The Federal Government will continue to work with First Nations, provinces, territories, and other stakeholders to build on progress already achieved. The Government of Canada plans to allocate $612 million to AANDC between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2016, to fund on-reserve water and wastewater infrastructure and complementary activities. The funding includes grants and contributions as well as departmental operational budgets.

The goal of the Water and Wastewater sub-category is that First Nation communities have a base of safe water and wastewater that meets established standards; Departmental activities in 2014-2015 will align with this objective and be rooted in the Government of Canada's long-term strategic four pillars approach as follows:

• Work with First Nations, provincial and territorial governments and other stakeholders to develop federal regulations to ensure access to safe, clean and reliable drinking water, the effective treatment of wastewater, and the protection of sources of water on First Nation Lands.
• Continue to provide a strategic response to the National Assessment findings in order to improve and strengthen results for water and wastewater in First Nation communities such as:
  • Clarifying applicable standards and protocols to bolster water and wastewater protection on reserve until regulations are in place;
  • Increasing First Nation capacity to operate and maintain drinking water and wastewater systems by augmenting the number of certified operators, increasing funding for operator training and operations and maintenance, and implementing the new Circuit Rider Training Guidelines; and
  • Prioritizing capital investments to target highest risk systems.
• Support First Nations in developing regional hubs of expertise and in supporting monitoring and, where feasible, operating systems remotely as already implemented in Alberta.
• Continuing to support First Nations to comply with the requirements of Environment Canada's Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations

Sub-Category Description

This sub-category supports the provision of funding for the planning, design, construction/acquisition, renovation, repair, replacement, and operation and maintenance of elementary and secondary education facilities (including school buildings, teacherages and student residences) and any related facility services for the benefit of First Nations students.

AANDC invests annually to support First Nations across the country with their education facilities. The Government of Canada has provided additional investments in school infrastructure through targeted initiatives so that education facilities meet established standards.

Oversight

School infrastructure assets are assessed on a three year cycle under the Asset Condition Reporting System. A General Condition Rating is provided for schools assets based on an overall assessment for all components of the asset. AANDC has a target of 70% for education facilities to have a General Condition Rating score greater than "fair condition." As of April 1, 2014, 63% of schools met this target.

Education at a Glance 2013-2014

For a detailed list of all funded Education Facilities proposal projects for 2013-2014 please refer to Annex B of this report.

Description of figure 5.1 – 5-Year Funding Trend (All Votes) – Educational Facilities ($M)

This is a chart showing the five year funding trend of the Education program area for the years 2009-2010 to 2013-2014. Each fiscal year is divided into A-Base funding, Targeted funding, and Salary & Administration funding. The graph is a stacked bar chart.

• In 2009-2010, A-Base represents $155M, Targeted $123M and Salary & Administration $4M for a total of $282M.
• In 2010-2011, A-Base represents $149M, Targeted $155M and Salary & Administration $3M for a total of $307M.
• In 2011-2012, A-Base represents $163M, Targeted $38M and Salary & Administration $3M for a total of $204M.
• In 2012-2013, A-Base represents $171M, Targeted $54M and Salary & Administration $3M for a total of $228M.
• In 2013-2014, A-Base represents $163M, Targeted $51M and Salary & Administration $1M for a total of $215M.

Investment Highlights

Nak'azdli Band, BC – Nakal Bun School

Nak'azdli Band is located 160 km northwest of Prince George, British Columbia, near Fort St. James. The new Nakal Bun Elementary School project is currently under construction with students planning to move in during September 2013. The new facility has an area of 1,890m² and will accommodate students from Kindergarten to Grade 9. The cost of the project is $14.2 million with the Band contributing $3.5 million to provide additional educational space.

The new facility includes 6 classrooms, a school gymnasium, a language and culture room for elders, a library resource room, a First Aid room, a staff and kitchen room, a utilities room, offices and a reception area. All rooms will be heated by a geothermal heating system.

The new facility will provide a positive impact on both the Nak'azdli community and surrounding communities by providing a safe and healthy environment for promoting education. In addition to educational programming, the new school will be used for cultural programs with elders, adult education programs, community meetings and celebrations, and evening recreation/sports.

Looking Forward

The Government of Canada is committed to improving the quality of education in First Nation schools, thereby ensuring better educational outcomes for First Nation students living on reserve.

Moving forward, the Department will be focusing on completing commitments under Economic Action Plan 2012, and developing a strategy for the successful implementation of Economic Action Plan 2014's investments.

In implementing these new investments, AANDC will be building on lessons learned from the investments made under Budget 2012. To that end, the Department is currently working on measures to improve the school infrastructure program. These changes are to ensure that future funding is associated with modern industry standards and practices for procurement, construction and operation and maintenance, and that schools remain in working condition for their full life cycle. The Department has consulted with private industry and First Nation technical organizations on the development of this new approach which is scheduled to be implemented during the 2014-2015 fiscal year.

In allocating funding for education facilities AANDC will continue to use the First Nation Infrastructure Investment Plan and the School Priority Ranking Framework tools. The First Nation Infrastructure Investment Plan is used to identify school infrastructure needs. The School Priority Ranking Framework applies a point ranking system based on nationally established criteria to rank schools eligible for funding. The first priority remains addressing health and safety concerns.

Sub-Category Description

The Government of Canada invests an average of $300 million in on-reserve housing each year through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and AANDC. AANDC offers annual funding that First Nations can use to meet a range of housing needs, including: maintenance, insurance, debt financing, rehabilitation of existing houses, and the planning and management of housing activities. In 2013–2014, AANDC alone invested approximately $143 million in on-reserve housing, which has supported an increase in the number of adequate houses on reserve.

To improve collaborative work and information sharing with the goal of improving housing outcomes on reserve, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and AANDC signed a Memorandum of Understanding in April 2013. The Memorandum provides AANDC with access to information concerning housing units under a Departmental Ministerial Loan Guarantee, and will enable AANDC to manage the Ministerial Loan Guarantee program more effectively. It will also enable the organizations to increase the sharing of information related to capacity-development initiatives and promote project collaboration where possible.

Oversight

In 2013-2014, AANDC provided over $143 million in on-reserve housing support to First Nations, which supported the completion of 203 projects, and allowed the commencement of 29 proposal projects which are still in progress. As a result, 75% of First Nations housing was deemed "adequate" as assessed and reported annually by First Nations, exceeding the 2013-2014 target of 72%.

Housing at a Glance 2013-2014

For a detailed list of all funded Housing proposal projects for 2013-2014 please refer to Annex C of this report.

Description of figure 6.1 – 5-Year Funding Trend (All Votes) – Housing ($M)

This is a chart showing the five year funding trend of the Housing program area for the years 2009-2010 to 2013-2014. Each fiscal year is divided into A-Base funding, Targeted funding, and Salary & Administration funding. The graph is a stacked bar chart.

• In 2009-2010, A-Base represents $122M, Targeted $75M and Salary & Administration $3M for a total of $200M.
• In 2010-2011, A-Base represents $110M, Targeted $79M and Salary & Administration $2M for a total of $191M.
• In 2011-2012, A-Base represents $130M, no Targeted funding and Salary & Administration $2M for a total of $132M.
• In 2012-2013, A-Base represents $118M, no Targeted funding and Salary & Administration $3M for a total of $121M.
• In 2013-2014, A-Base represents $141M, no Targeted funding and Salary & Administration $2M for a total of $143M.

Investment Highlights

Island Lake Tribal Council Region, Manitoba – Housing Retrofits

The Island Lake Tribal Council region consists of four First Nations: Garden Hill, St. Theresa Point, Wasagamack and Red Sucker Lake. The communities have a combined on-reserve population of 9,923 and are all located approximately 300 km east of Thompson, Manitoba. The reserves have 1,461 housing units, and 942 of these homes had no running water and sewer services prior to 2012.

AANDC is working with the Island Lake Tribal Council communities toward a long-term strategy to address the water and wastewater infrastructure needs of their communities. In the meantime, the department is taking interim action with the four communities in order to address their highest priorities.

 

In November 2012, Island Lake Tribal Council submitted a five year plan to have 942 houses retrofitted to provide running water and sewer services by 2016-17 at a total cost of $43 million. The multi-year plan was initiated in 2011-12 and water and sewer trucks have been purchased and delivered, garages to park them have been built and 100 houses have been retrofitted as of Spring 2013. The materials for an additional 218 houses were delivered over the winter road in February/March 2013. Construction will start in the spring of 2013 for completion by March 31, 2014.

 

Looking Forward

AANDC is planning to allocate annually over $138 million for on-reserve housing over the next three fiscal years.

AANDC will continue to collaborate with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, particularly on capacity-development initiatives and information sharing. AANDC will also continue to collaborate with the Assembly of First Nations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Health Canada on joint initiatives such as mould remediation

Sub-Category Description

This sub-program helps fund the planning, design, construction, acquisition, and operation and maintenance of community infrastructure assets and facilities. It provides funding for coordination, training, and capacity building for activities related to community infrastructure assets and facilities. The goal is to support First Nations in meeting health and safety standards for their assets and in providing their residents with similar levels of service to those in off-reserve communities of similar size and circumstance. First Nations identify their priorities and needs and present project proposals to the Department. Funding is provided based on a priority assessment.

Projects funded under this sub-program include:

• Planning & Skills Development: Community planning and/or skills development projects that will support long-term sustainable community development of First Nation communities.
• Solid Waste Management: Projects that improve solid waste management and increase the recovery and use of recycled and organic materials, reduces per capita tonnage of solid waste sent to a landfill, as well as reduce environmental impacts and enhances energy recovery.
• Roads and Bridges: Projects that construct or maintain local roads, arterial roads and bridges within local boundaries, or roads and bridges projects which fall outside local boundaries but provide access to local communities
• Energy Systems: Projects that optimize the use of energy systems (e.g. heat and electricity in buildings and other installations), accesses provincially owned energy grids, deploys alternative sources of energy, and reduces the Greenhouse Gas emissions and air contaminants arising from local sources.
• Connectivity: Projects that support under-connected First Nations to gain access to nearby regional broadband networks and/or nearby regional telecommunications rural broadband expansion projects in order to enhance community access to information and broadband technologies.
• Disaster Mitigation: Projects that eliminate or reduce the impacts and risks of hazards through proactive measures taken before an emergency, hazard, or disaster occurs.
• Fire Protection: Projects that support the purchase of equipment and infrastructure (fire trucks, fire halls, etc.), operations and maintenance, and firefighter training to enhance a community's capacity for fire protection and prevention.
• Fuel Tanks: Support First Nations to comply with the Storage Tank Systems for Petroleum Products and Allied Petroleum Products Regulations introduced by Environment Canada in 2008 for fuel storage tank systems 2,500 litres or more on federal and Aboriginal lands, including reserve lands.
• General Infrastructure: Projects that construct or maintain general community assets such as band offices or community recreational facilities or that support the purchase of band assets (e.g. essential community vehicles).

Other Community Infrastructure at a Glance 2013-2014

For a detailed list of all funded Other Community Infrastructure proposal for 2013-2014 projects please refer to Annex D of this report.

Description of figure 7.1 – 5-Year Funding Trend (All Votes) – Other Community Infrastructure ($M)

This is a chart showing the five year funding trend of the Other Community Infrastructure program area for the years 2009-2010 to 2013-2014. Each fiscal year is divided into A-Base funding, Targeted funding, and Salary & Administration funding. The graph is a stacked bar chart.

• In 2009-2010, A-Base represents $370M, Targeted $46M and Salary & Administration $21M for a total of $437M.
• In 2010-2011, A-Base represents $355M, Targeted $37M and Salary & Administration $18M for a total of $410M.
• In 2011-2012, A-Base represents $338M, Targeted $91M and Salary & Administration $24M for a total of $453M.
• In 2012-2013, A-Base represents $333M, Targeted $72M and Salary & Administration $20M for a total of $425M.
• In 2013-2014, A-Base represents $340M, Targeted $28M and Salary & Administration $19M for a total of $387M.

Investment Highlights

In 2013-2014, the Department provided approximately $98 million in funding for 270 Other Community Infrastructure proposal-based projects (see Table 7.3 for detailed breakdown of investments) or organizations to deliver projects. Highlights from these investments include:

• Funding of $272,825 for the Aboriginal Firefighters Association of Canada to organize a number of fire prevention awareness and training initiatives throughout the year, including the annual National Aboriginal Firefighters Competition and the National Fire Safety Poster Contest for school-aged children and youth.
• The Department launched the national BeFireSafe education campaign in partnership with the Aboriginal Firefighters Association of Canada on March 20, 2014 to raise awareness of the importance of fire prevention in First Nation communities. The year-long campaign aims to reduce fire-related deaths, injuries and damages by sharing seasonal fire safety tips and information through regular radio features and social media messaging.
• Funding of $2 M to upgrade both the diesel generating station and the community's distribution system in the remote coastal community of Gitga'at First Nation, to allow the transfer of responsibility for electrical service to BC Hydro. With the completion of this project, the residents of Gitga'at now enjoy reliable electrical service at rates similar to other residents of British Columbia, a significant savings from the cost of their previous system.

Louis Bull Tribe, Alberta – Transfer Station

The Louis Bull Tribe has an on-reserve registered population of 1,475 and is located in Maskwacis, just south of Edmonton, Alberta. The community's original landfill site was established in the early 1990s, and numerous reports have noted that a new properly designed and constructed transfer station is required to address the considerable waste management and health and safety issues with the existing arrangement.

Through the First Nation Infrastructure Fund, the department was able to secure funding in the order of $2.0 million for this project. The scope of the project includes the construction of a waste transfer station and the decommissioning of the existing landfill. Construction of the transfer station started in September 2012 and the project is now completed and operational.

Mistawasis First Nation, Saskatchewan – Gasification

Mistawasis First Nation has an on-reserve registered population of 1,103 and is located approximate 80 km west of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The gasification project aims to provide natural gas to all houses and buildings on the Mistawasis reserve. The project will be constructed in 2013-2014 and is estimated to cost $2.6 million. The provincial natural gas provider, SaskEnergy, is paying $379,000 of this amount, with the remainder shared 50/50 by the First Nation and AANDC.

Pekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan First Nation, Quebec – Remediation of Ouiatchouane Street

Pekuakamiulnuatsh Tauhikan First Nation has a registered on-reserve population of 2,049 and is located 267 km north of Quebec City. The community began work to upgrade the Ouiatchouane Street in the early 2000. Work is currently underway to further upgrade a new stretch of road. This upgrade project will focus on improving the roadbed and surface of the road but will also include the installation of water trunk lines, sanitary wastewater, and a storm drain system. This project began in September 2012 and is anticipated to be completed sometime in September 2013. AANDC is investing $4 million dollars into this project while the Band is contributing $173 thousand of their own source revenue.

Eskasoni First Nation, Nova Scotia – Fuel Tank Replacement

Eskasoni First Nation is located about 400 km east of Halifax alongside the Bras d'Or Lake in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Eskasoni represents the largest Aboriginal community in Atlantic Canada. The Eskasoni reserve, consisting of 2,800 acres of land, dates back to 1834 and is home to the largest Mi'kmaq community in the world with an on-reserve population of approximately 3,700.

In 2008, Environment Canada introduced the Storage Tank Systems for Petroleum Products and Allied Petroleum Products Regulations for fuel storage tank systems 2,500 litres or more. At the time, the Eskasoni High School was heated with fuel stored in a 9,150 litre single walled tank located inside the building while the middle school used two smaller tanks, none of which complied with the new regulations.

With $125,710 in 2013-2014 program funding, the fuel tank at Eskasoni High School was replaced along with two fuel tanks at the Middle School replaced with one larger tank. The picture below, taken at the time of substantial completion inspection, shows the High School's new 13,800 litre double-walled aboveground storage tank – complete with vacuum monitoring, located outside the school building now compliant with Environment Canada's regulations.

Looking Forward

In 2014-2015, AANDC will support Other Community Infrastructure and Activities in the following ways:

• Work with the Aboriginal Firefighters Association of Canada to renew the First Nations Fire Protection Strategy, building on the successes and lessons learned of the existing 2010-2015 version.
• Expanding the BeFireSafe education campaign with communities and regional partners.
• Work to implement the renewed First Nation Infrastructure Fund, including expanding the fund to include disaster mitigation and developing a proposal review process for the Building Canada Fund funding envelope of the First Nation Infrastructure Fund.
• Support Regional Offices and First Nations with the identification, prioritization, and proposal of structural disaster mitigation projects on a comparable national scale, in using the Structural Mitigation Framework and Structural Mitigation Ranking Tool.

Atlantic (AT) – W&WW Projects Completed

Québec (QC) – W&WW Projects Completed

Ontario (ON) – W&WW Projects Completed

Manitoba (MB) – W&WW Projects Completed

Saskatchewan (SK) –W&WW Projects Completed

Alberta (AB) – W&WW Projects Completed

British Columbia (BC) – W&WW Projects Completed

Yukon (YK) – W&WW Projects Completed

Atlantic (AT) – W&WW Projects In-Progress

Québec (QC) – W&WW Projects In-Progress

Ontario (ON) – W&WW Projects In-Progress

Manitoba (MB) – W&WW Projects In-Progress

Saskatchewan (SK) – W&WW Projects In-Progress

Alberta (AB) – W&WW Projects In-Progress

British Columbia (BC) – W&WW Projects In-Progress

Yukon (YK) – W&WW Projects In-Progress

Atlantic (AT) - School Projects Completed

Québec (QC) - School Projects Completed

Ontario (ON) - School Projects Completed

Manitoba (MB) - School Projects Completed

Saskatchewan (SK) - School Projects Completed

Alberta (AB) - School Projects Completed

British Columbia (BC) - School Projects Completed

Atlantic (AT) - School Projects In-Progress

Québec (QC) - School Projects In-Progress

Ontario (ON) - School Projects in Progress

Manitoba (MB) - School Projects In-Progress

Saskatchewan (SK) - School Projects In-Progress

Alberta (AB) - School Projects In-Progress

British Columbia (BC) - School Projects In-Progress

Atlantic (AT) - Housing Projects Completed

Québec (QC) - Housing Projects Completed

Ontario (ON) - Housing Projects Completed

Manitoba (MB) - Housing Projects Completed

Saskatchewan (SK) - Housing Projects Completed

Alberta (AB) - Housing Projects Completed

British Columbia (BC) - Housing Projects Completed

Yukon (YK) - Housing Projects Completed

Québec (QC) - Housing Projects In-Progress

Ontario (ON) - Housing Projects In-Progress

Manitoba (MB) - Housing Projects In-Progress

British Columbia (BC) - Housing Projects In-Progress

Atlantic (AT) - Other Community Infrastructure Projects Completed

Québec (QC) - Other Community Infrastructure Projects Completed

Ontario (ON) - Other Community Infrastructure Projects Completed

Manitoba (MB) - Other Community Infrastructure Projects Completed

Saskatchewan (SK)- Other Community Infrastructure Projects Completed

Alberta (AB) - Other Community Infrastructure Projects Completed

British Columbia (CB) - Other Community Infrastructure Projects Completed