“Without very intentional collaboration, the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority wouldn’t be where it is and couldn’t keep on going.” – James MacKinnon, Director of Engagement & Government Relations
Etuaptmumk (Mi’kmaq) / Nisi ‘Sotasu (Wolastoqey), or Two-Eyed Seeing, recognizes that “different ways of knowing and different values can be brought together to find solutions to problems” (*Fuller et al. 2024). In the case of the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority (AFNWA), this practice has meant constant collaboration to honour First Nations knowledge and culture and implement leading-edge western engineering practices.
The AFNWA is the first Indigenous-owned and operated water and wastewater utility in Canada, led by a Board of Chiefs and guided by an Elders Advisory Lodge. It was incorporated as a nonprofit in 2018, becoming operational in 2022. This is the story of how diverse groups, each playing a distinct role, grew the AFNWA and continue to shape its path toward First Nations self-determination in water services.
*Learn more about AFNWA’s Two-Eyed Seeing Approach in this Facets article:
Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat
The Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs (APCFNC) Secretariat, a policy and advocacy body for First Nations in Atlantic Canada, played a key role in shaping the AFNWA. The Chiefs of the APCFNC engaged Dalhousie University to understand the importance of regulatory benchmarks for First Nations drinking water, following a 2005 Auditor General’s report showing that First Nations’ drinking water quality lagged behind Canadian municipalities and a 2006 Expert Panel on Safe Drinking Water for First Nations. This research then led to discussions on enforceable regulations, economies of scale, and transferring water service responsibility to a First Nations-led technical organization to relieve communities of liability, ultimately to build a path toward First Nations self-determination. Additionally, in 2017, the APCFNC convened a talking circle with Elders, Knowledge Keepers and community members to ground the water authority’s structure in First Nations values, culture, and knowledge. This, along with other feasibility assessment activities, culminated in the development of a business case in 2019.
Elders Advisory Lodge
The Elders Advisory Lodge (EAL) is a committee of Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey Elders selected by the AFNWA’s Board to ensure operations are rooted in First Nations culture and traditional knowledge. It grew out of the 2017 talking circle where engagement showed a need to incorporate cultural priorities in decision-making. The EAL’s oversight helps rebuild trust with First Nations communities — a vital step after decades of broken confidence in water safety. It also advises on Etuaptmumk / Nisi ‘Sotasu, embracing western science-based approaches under the guidance of the Seven Grandfather Teachings, which serve as AFNWA’s corporate values.
Seven Grandfather Teachings: Corporate Values of the AFNWA
- Love (Kitpu/Cihpolakon—Eagle)
- Honesty (Putup/Putep—Whale)
- Humility (Paqtism/Malsom—Wolf)
- Respect (Tiam/Mus—Moose)
- Truth (Mikjikj/Cihkonaqc—Turtle)
- Bravery (Muin/Muwin—Bear)
- Wisdom (Kopit/Qapit—Beaver)
First Nations
Thirteen First Nations across Mi’kma’ki and Wolastoqey currently participate in the AFNWA through a Full Service Decentralized hub-and-spoke model, with access to regional hubs for centralized expertise. Nations contribute to and benefit from pooled resources through a shared funding model, with investment and system renewal guided by Asset Management Plans developed by the AFNWA. AFNWA’s First Nations employees, as with all AFNWA employees, benefit from training and career opportunities in water services to ensure their skills continue to grow to better serve their communities. Importantly, in all these relationships, the AFNWA remains accountable to the First Nations it is designed to support.
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie’s Centre for Water Resources Studies (CWRS) has provided technical expertise and support from the early stages of the AFNWA’s development, including the creation of the first water quality compliance standards for a First Nations water system in Canada. Dalhousie continues to partner with the AFNWA through training programs (e.g. a course for engineers developed with the EAL on Wabanaki Worldview), research and community engagement.
Private Sector & Municipalities
The AFNWA employs contractors and consultants and provides guidance to them through Etuaptmumk / Nisi’ Sotasu, and many of these private sector workers have strong ties to First Nations in the region. Regardless of their status as salaried or contract workers, all employees follow a code of conduct and have access to a dispute resolution mechanism developed by the EAL. Additionally, three AFNWA member Nations hold service agreements with neighbouring municipalities. The AFNWA is now working to transfer those agreements under AFNWA stewardship.
Federal Government
From the outset, the federal government has been involved in shaping the AFNWA, leading to ISC signing a framework in 2020 to transfer responsibility and provide sustainable funding. The AFNWA’s fiscal model, renegotiating 10 years of federal funding every five years, grows stronger as the organization expands, increasing its negotiating power and long-term stability for Nations.
The National Context
The AFNWA is often approached by others interested in replicating its model. While geographic challenges vary and can be significant in remote northern regions, the model is adaptable to a wide range of applications. The most crucial element necessary for success is that any similar initiative is fully First Nations led. Strong relationships and open communication among potential partners are vital to success. The AFNWA took years of cross-sector dialogue to launch, grounded in First Nations leadership, and similar efforts would be essential to establish a comparable model elsewhere.
Nationally, there’s ongoing pressure to ensure enforceable drinking water standards in First Nations communities by renewing Bill C-61 and ensuring meaningful funding commitments match the regulatory commitment. In the absence of legislation, the AFNWA created its own regulatory compendium, drawing from top global and Canadian regulations on source water, drinking water and wastewater. If Bill C-61 passes, this compendium could become the legal standard for the AFNWA because the proposed legislation could allow First Nations to set their own regulations.
Thank you to James MacKinnon, Director of Engagement & Government Relations at the AFNWA, and Megan Fuller, Director of Research for the AFNWA at Dalhousie’s CWRS, for providing background for this impact story. For more information as the AFNWA continues to grow, reach out to communications@afnwa.ca, or take a look at the website at afnwa.ca.
About Rebekah Kipp
Network Communications Lead, Our Living Waters: mother, freshwater champion, beachcomber, and origami enthusiast
