The federal government is working to improve pay for water plant operators on First Nations.
Aboriginal Affairs spokesman Gail Mitchell made that statement during a Senate committee hearing in Ottawa today.
Mitchell admitted that many water plant operators on reserves quit to work for other plants off-reserve, because the pay is better.
She said the government is looking at ways to make the job more attractive, including rates of pay:
“We’re currently looking at what types of supports we can provide to band councils so that they can offer their operators a more appealing compensation package, and what that might look like and what other incentives might be in place to support those operators in staying in those positions.”
Senator Nancy Greene Raine told the proceedings there are many people on reserves who would like to be water plant operators, but they don’t have their Grade 12 diploma.
The Senate hearing was told that a Grade 12 education is a minimum requirement for some water treatment positions.
Raine asked what the federal government is doing about that problem.
Mitchell said the government has some ideas:
“We are working with relevant provincial governments who really do the certification to try and adapt their training programs to address that particular issue — and I think that’s a very promising avenue for us, in terms of increasing the number of certified operators.”
A Senate committee is examining a new federal bill aimed at making drinking water safer on reserves.