The Canadian government is preparing to introduce new legislation aimed at improving access to clean drinking water for First Nations communities, but the proposed bill reportedly modifies earlier provisions that explicitly recognized a human right to clean water. The draft legislation, obtained ahead of its anticipated introduction, is attributed to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration and was circulated for consultation until June 11, 2026. It is unclear whether adjustments have been made since that period.

First Nations leaders had anticipated the bill’s introduction on June 15, but the event was postponed. The new legislation is now expected to be formally presented on June 16, accompanied by a news conference led by Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty. With Parliament scheduled to break for summer recess on June 19, debate and voting on the bill are unlikely to occur until the autumn session.

This legislative effort continues a policy trajectory initiated in 2023 by the previous government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. At that time, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu introduced a bill that responded to a 2021 lawsuit settlement regarding water safety on First Nations reserves. The earlier bill not only addressed the terms of the settlement but also went further by acknowledging First Nations’ human right to safe drinking water and including provisions for source water protection. Despite receiving input from First Nations and passing preliminary parliamentary scrutiny, that legislation lapsed when Parliament was prorogued last year.

Minister Hajdu had expressed hope prior to the 2025 federal election that the incoming government would pursue the bill, which she described as “incredibly thoughtful legislation” co-created with First Nations communities. Following her appointment, Minister Gull-Masty pledged last summer that the forthcoming bill would reaffirm this human right.

However, some First Nations representatives have raised concerns about a lack of consultation regarding the latest draft. While both versions of the legislation share the objective of securing reliable access to clean drinking water and wastewater treatment for First Nations, the new draft modifies the language related to water rights. The older bill explicitly stated that “it is recognized and affirmed that it is a human right of every individual on First Nations land to have access to clean and safe drinking water.” By contrast, the new draft describes the government policy as advancing the “progressive realization” of the human right to safe drinking water, referencing the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights—a softer formulation that some view as less definitive.

Additionally, the newer bill appears to offer weaker protections for source water compared to its predecessor. Conservative Indigenous Services critic Billy Morin criticized the Carney government’s approach, describing the bill in social media posts as “watered down” and contending that it primarily serves to expand government positions without delivering tangible improvements for First Nations communities.

According to Indigenous Services Canada, there are currently 37 boil-water advisories affecting 36 First Nations communities, predominantly in Ontario. Despite former Prime Minister Trudeau’s 2015 promise to eliminate all boil-water advisories by 2021, the issue remains unresolved. The upcoming legislation marks another attempt to address this longstanding challenge.