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Emo Health Centre 2021 (3)

Code Grey initiated at Emo Health Centre

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Emo Health Centre is dealing with a hot water issue that is impacting the bathing of patients, as well as residents in long-term care.

A Code Grey, a hospital emergency code that usually signifies a loss of essential services or infrastructure failure, has been put in place.

Riverside Health Care says it has prompted the need for alternative bathing procedures until the problem can be fixed.

“To ensure continuity of care and maintain patient and resident comfort, our teams have implemented
alternative bedside bathing procedures that meet all required clinical care and safety standards,” states a release.

Maintenance staff are working with an outside contractor on the issue.

“Required repair work will be scheduled in a manner that minimizes disruption to patient and resident care,” the release adds.

No other parts of the facility are impacted, including the kitchen, laundry and housekeeping areas.

Greg Rickford at Lac La Croix

Provincial funding aids in construction of new Lac La Croix water plant

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Provincial funding for Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation, known as Lac La Croix First Nation.

The community is receiving nearly $30 million that will be applied to the construction of a new water treatment plant.

Chief Carrie Atatise is thrilled to be receiving the money.

“We are excited to work with Ontario, the Ministry of Infrastructure, and the Health and Safety Water Stream on this important project,” states Atatise in a release.

“This work will improve the lives of our members in the resolution of a long-term boil water advisory and in providing the opportunity to drink safe tap water.”

A boil water advisory has been in place since January 2022.

The funding comes from the province’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s Health and Safety Water Stream (MHIP-HSWS).

“The Health and Safety Water Stream is ensuring the safety, functionality and longevity of the water
of the treatment plants that community members in Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation rely on, today and into the future,” states Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford.

Construction is expected to begin this year, with the new plant expected to be operational within two years.

Flooding - Rainy Lake June 2022 (5)

Rainy Lake watershed meeting scheduled for March

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Water levels in the Rainy Lake watershed will be the subject of a public meeting next month.

The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board will hold a virtual meeting on March 2nd.

The session will discuss the current watershed conditions and seasonal weather forecasts in advance of directives regarding the water levels of Rainy Lake and Namakan Lake to be put in place on March 10th.

The Board says there will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions and share their observations on winter conditions in the watershed.

To attend, you must register by noon (CST) on February 26th.

Click here.

Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige

Indigenous leaders demand halt to Ontario water procedure changes

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The Anishnabek Nation Grand Council is calling on the province to immediately pause implementation of changes to the Permit to Take Water program.

Under these new changes, companies can renew water-taking permits without submitting new applications or environmental reviews. These changes apply to water takings from lakes, rivers, and groundwater sources used for industrial and commercial activities.

The council demands that Ontario restores mandatory consultations for all permit transfers. It warns that the province is moving in a direction that undermines First Nations’ rights and environmental protections.

“These unilateral decisions directly affect our lands, waters, and future generations,” said Grand Council Chief Debassige. “Water is sacred. It is not a commodity to be transferred between corporations without scrutiny, consent, or accountability.”  

In July 2025, the Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Todd McCarthy wrote to First Nation leadership affirming water as an essential human right and committing to working with Indigenous leaders toward sustainable water solutions.

“While that commitment was welcomed, recent regulatory actions contradict those assurances,” Debassige said. “Claiming that ‘safe drinking water is a fundamental human right for all’ and that Ontario ‘will continue to work with First Nations and the federal government on long-term, sustainable solutions to achieve this important goal’, while simultaneously unilaterally weakening the very rules that protect water at its source, does not help achieve this goal.”

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks released a statement in September 2025 saying some people may have misunderstood the intent and scope of the regulatory amendment. The Ministry wrote that the regulation only allows a streamlined process for specific water-taking permits that had already been occurring, and that the proposed taking of water must be from the same location and for the same amount or less as was approved under the previously issued permit.

The ministry said they will continue to review permit applications to confirm that they meet ministry requirements, including public and Indigenous consultation requirements, where applicable, and will consider any related compliance concerns.

International Falls water plant winter

International Falls considers water/sewer rate increases in ’26, ’27

Water and sewer rates in International Falls are expected to increase by 3% for the next two years.

Falls council approved first reading of an ordinance that will also include a new charge to service the debt on improvements to the water treatment plant.

The city narrowly agreed last June to spend almost $12 million on upgrades.

Mayor Drake Dill voiced his opposition to the increase.

“The reason I’m doing that is because I wanted to attempt to get state assistance with the plant rehab,” says Dill.

Consultants estimate the cost of servicing the debt will be about $850,000.

The proposed increases will move the monthly rate for water from $23.69 to $24.40 this year and to $25.13 in 2027, with additional costs based on usage.

The minimum charge in the sewer rate increases from $30.14 to $33.23 a month by 2027.

The money will go toward normal operating costs

All users in the city will be charged a fee of $17.00 in 2026 and $18.50 in 2027 toward the plant improvement costs.

The second and final reading of the ordinance is likely to come next month.

Water tower returns to operation Jan 7 2026 (1)

Fort Frances contends with frozen water line at water tower

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The town of Fort Frances is having to spend an extra $175,000 at its water tower.

A line at the water tower froze earlier this month because of a faulty heat trace line designed to prevent freezing.

Water to the tower was turned back on near the beginning of January after it was shut down for several months to allow for upgrades to the structure.

Operations and Facilities Manager Travis Rob says they noticed the problem days before turning the water back on.

“We were hoping that we would be able to get up to it and make the repairs before it thawed,” says Rob.

“However, if you recall, shortly after we were there, it started to warm. And unfortunately, the line started to thaw a couple of days after we were there. So that changed our plan a little bit in terms of how we were going to act.”

Rob says the failed heat trace line is being replaced with two lines, a primary and a secondary one, in the event the primary line fails.

“It will trip the heat trace line that fails and kick over to the other one,” says Rob.

Rob says staff will also make routine checks of the line to ensure it continues to function as intended.

Greg Rickford in Mitaanjigamiing Jan 22 2026 Facebook

Mitaanjigamiing to upgrade water treatment plant

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The provincial government is providing a First Nation community north of Fort Frances with more than $4 million.

The money is helping Mitaanjigamiing upgrade its water treatment plant.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford says it will ensure the safety and reliability of water services to the community.

“This expanded funding for critical water infrastructure will contribute to strengthening the safety and reliability of water services in Mitaanjigamiing First Nation,” states Rickford in a release.

“The Health and Safety Water Stream is ensuring the safety, functionality and longevity of the water of the treatment plants that communities rely on, today and into the future.”

The release goes on to state that the MHIP-HSWS funding will be used to enhance drinking water quality, treatment plant resilience, protect public health and enhance long-term community development.

Greg Rickford and Harold Boivin Tom Thompson photo

Emo secures provincial funding for water/wastewater improvements

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The township of Emo has secured provincial funding for its water treatment plant and sanitary lift station.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford was in the community on Thursday announce that the township was successful in receiving $1,419,986.88 through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s Health and Safety Water Stream (MHIP-HSWS).

The $875 million fund was set up to help municipalities and First Nations with aging water and wastewater infrastructure.

“The Health and Safety Water Stream is ensuring the safety, functionality and longevity of the water of the treatment plants that residents in Emo rely on, today and into the future,” states Rickford in a release.

The work will include a new backwash/sanitary holding tank with a duplex pump system at the water treatment plant.

There will also be other mechanical and electrical upgrades planned.

A replacement of the sewage pumps and other key mechanical and electrical components will occur within the Meadowland Sanitary Pumping Station.

The township says the work will improve monitoring and make the system more resilient to weather-related impacts and demands on the system.

“The Township of Emo would like to thank the Ontario Government and the Ministry of Infrastructure for their support for Emo’s Wastewater Infrastructure Upgrades and Rehabilitation,” states Harold McQuaker, Mayor of Emo.

“Hard work from municipal staff and all levels of government has made it possible for Emo to be successful on this funding application to revitalize our Water Treatment System and Sanitary Sewer System, which is much needed for the continued safe operations of these facilities.”

The total cost of the project is $1,945,187.50.

With the provincial funding, the township’s share amounts to $525,200.62.

Atikokan council meeting Jan 12 2026

Atikokan council eyes 4.5% increase to water/sewer bills

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Atikokan council is agreeing to a 4.5 percent increase to water and sewer bills in the community.

That mirrors the recommendations of the town’s asset management plan, which suggests increases of 3.7% to water rates and 5.5% to sewer rates for the next 20 years.

That works out to a $50 increase, bringing residential bills to $1,150 for the year.

Mayor Rob Ferguson feels it is a fair increase.

“We need to maintain and fix our water and wastewater system,” says Ferguson.

The increase will provide an extra $78,685 for the sewer and water system.

Councillor Liz Shine says increasing rates addresses the need to keep the system in good shape and to have the system self-funded.

“It is part of our asset management plan, so it only makes sense that we’re following that,” says Shine.

“As well, if we didn’t mandate that we have to be self-sufficient, it was the government that’s bringing it down.”

The province has long hinted that municipalities should prepare for their water systems to be fully cost-recovered, but has yet to legislate the action.

“Nobody likes to see anything rise, but it’s a comfortable figure, and we have to work towards attaining self-sufficiency, so a little bit at a time,” says Councillor Jim Johnson.

Despite the increase, Atikokan’s rates remain among the lowest in northwestern Ontario.

Only five other communities have lower water and sewer costs.

Fort Frances water treatment plant

Fort Frances water/sewer bills increasing 4.5%

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Residents in Fort Frances will pay 4.54% more for water and sewer services this year.

It increases the bill from $1,149.00 to $1,201 for the year.

That works out to a monthly rise of $4.35.

Industrial, institutional and commercial users with water meters will see rates increase 4.49%, though the minimum rate rises $4.51%.

Combined, the increased rates will generate $6,482,478 in revenue, specifically for improvements to the water and sewer system.

That is an increase of $244,719.16 over what the town expected to collect last year.

In a report, administration notes that more than $50 million is needed to upgrade sewer and water lines.

The town’s asset management plan identifies over 30km of sanitary sewer in poor or worse condition, costing $29.5 million to replace.

Over 40 km of watermain in similar condition has been identified, costing $22.2 million to replace.

The report also notes that its sanitary lift stations need repairs, estimated at $1.5 million or more.

Administration also notes the need for ongoing maintenance at the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant.

The water plant is 40 years old, while the wastewater plant is 60 years old.

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