B.C. First Nation unveils $25M wastewater treatment plant
The Ahousaht First Nation northwest of Tofino, B.C., is celebrating the opening of its new wastewater treatment plant.
The treatment plant opened on Wednesday on Flores Island, where the First Nation is located, just off western Vancouver Island.
The new wastewater treatment plant replaces the community's old facilities, which included a septic tank treatment and lift station, and an outfall pipe.
The old outfall pipe would funnel waste into a shellfish habitat, according to the federal government, and did not meet modern safety standards.
The new Ahousaht First Nation wastewater treatment plant is shown. (Ahousaht First Nation)
The new $25-million wastewater treatment plant was funded by the federal government, which was used for construction of the facility as well as new operational buildings and new outfall pipe.
Moving forward, the treatment plant will be operated by trained members of the Ahousaht First Nation.
"Ahousaht Nation acknowledges the collaborative effort that has been undertaken to accomplish the completion of the new wastewater treatment plant," said John Rampanen, Ahousaht elected chief coucillor, in a release Wednesday.
"As an oceanic people, our marine ecosystem and aquatic food systems are integral and interconnected to our way of life," he said.
"The improvements offered through this updated wastewater treatment facility will not only sustain our efforts to enhance and protect our environment, it will also greatly improve our quality of life."
The new Ahousaht First Nation wastewater treatment plant is shown. (Ahousaht First Nation)
Federal Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu said the new wastewater treatment plant is a win-win both for the environment and for the health of future generations.
The Ahousaht First Nation currently has about 743 members living on its reserve, and the new wastewater treatment facility can accommodate up to 1,300 people.
"Wastewater plants are not always well understood as the critical infrastructure pieces that they are, but they play such an important role in community safety through water and environmental management," said Hajdu.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.