Digital Commons Network^™

Addressing First Nations' Concerns In Water Sharing Agreements, Cynthia Huo

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Water sharing agreements are a potential solution to the issue of ongoing water insecurity in First Nations' communities. They involve a First Nation connecting their water system to that of a nearby municipality, and paying that municipality a fee for water provision. However, some First Nations have been reluctant to enter into these types of agreements. We identified 3 categories of concerns that First Nations may have: capacity, cultural protection, and sovereignty. We analyzed and coded 54 existing water sharing agreements to see how well they responded to these concerns, and conclude with recommendations about how agreements might be amended …