The provision of drinking water in First Nations communities and Ontario municipalities: Insight into the emergence of water sharing arrangements

Abstract

Some communities in Ontario procure potable water through water sharing arrangements (WSAs) with other neighbouring communities. This paper explores factors influencing First Nation and municipal participation in WSAs in Ontario. Specifically, we assess whether First Nations communities – many of which suffer persistently poor drinking water conditions – are less likely to be engaged in WSAs than municipalities. We assess this question by applying regression analyses to a unique data set characterizing 419 Ontario communities: 118 First Nations communities and 301 municipalities. Compared to Ontario municipalities, First Nations in Ontario have a lower rate of participation in WSAs. Our regression analyses suggest that community likelihood of WSA participation is strongly associated with factors like geography, regional wealth, and proximity to neighbouring communities with water supply.