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First Nations water rules

C-37 First Nations Clean Water Act: An Act respecting water, source water, drinking water, wastewater and related infrastructure on First Nation lands

Recognizes First Nations control over drinking water and wastewater on their lands and sets minimum standards for water quality.

What Bill C-37 would do

The bill would affirm that the right to self-government includes First Nations jurisdiction over drinking water, wastewater, source water, and related infrastructure on their lands. It would set minimum standards for water quality, water quantity, and wastewater effluent. The bill would also establish guiding principles like substantive equality and create pathways to help protect source water.

Official text

Official summary

This enactment affirms that the inherent right to self-government, recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 , includes the jurisdiction of First Nations in relation to water, source water, drinking water, wastewater and related infrastructure on, in and under First Nation lands. It sets out principles, such as substantive equality, to guide the provision for First Nations of clean and safe drinking water and the effective treatment and disposal of wastewater on First Nation lands. It provides for minimum standards for water quality and quantity and wastewater effluent. It also provides pathways to facilitate source water protection.

The government's summary, printed at the front of the bill as introduced.

Kind
Government bill
Sponsor
Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services (Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou)
Introduced
in the House of Commons
Last activity

Where it stands

  1. ProposedJun 16
  2. Being studiedsince Oct 9 Exact stageAt consideration in committee in the House of Commons · Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs · since October 9, 2026A committee of MPs or senators is going through it line by line.
  3. Almost law
  4. Law

In a House committee since October 9

  1. First reading in the House done

    Before the House on 1 sitting day,

  2. Second reading in the House done

    Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs

    Before the House on 1 sitting day, · 3 debates here

    2nd reading and referral to committee - INAN: agreed to on division,

  3. Committee in the House now

    Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs

  4. Report stage in the House not yet

  5. Third reading in the House not yet

  6. First reading in the Senate not yet

  7. Second reading in the Senate not yet

  8. Third reading in the Senate not yet

  9. Royal assent not yet

Exact procedural stages

Officially: At consideration in committee in the House of Commons · Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs · since October 9, 2026.

  1. House
  2. Senate
  3. Royal assent

Debates in the House 3

Members who spoke: Liberal 5 Conservative 4 Bloc Québécois 2 NDP 1 Green 1

Second reading 3

  1. First Nations Clean Water Act

    · Sitting 149 · 32 statements · 28 graded

    9 members spoke

  2. First Nations Clean Water Act

    · Sitting 149 · 13 statements · 11 graded

    5 members spoke

  3. First Nations Clean Water Act

    · Sitting 149 · 20 statements · 17 graded

    8 members spoke

Also raised in 6

Question Period, members' statements and other debates where the bill came up.

Show 6

  1. Business of the House

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  2. Building Canada Strong Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  3. Business of the House

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  4. Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation Act

    · Government Orders · named 1 time

  5. Indigenous Affairs

    · Oral Questions · named 1 time

  6. Indigenous Affairs

    · Oral Questions · named 3 times

Discussion

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Comment rules

Status, stages and votes from LEGISinfo. Debates are linked from the House's own record of what was before it. Grades are the site's analysis of each statement.