Indigenous Services Minister tours infrastructure investments in Paul First Nation

Press Release

From: Indigenous Services Canada

July 17, 2019 — Paul First Nation, Treaty 6, Alberta — Indigenous Services Canada

Canada is committed to working with First Nations communities to invest in building and upgrading on-reserve infrastructure that supports the well-being of their residents.

Today, the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Indigenous Services, and Chief Arthur Rain of Paul First Nation celebrated the completion of several infrastructure projects that will serve community residents today and support community growth into the future. Completed projects include a wastewater system, a fire hall, a solid waste transfer station and additional water mains for residential water supply and fire protection.

Minister O’Regan also visited a new kindergarten to grade 9 school that is under construction. The school is designed to foster cultural and language education amongst students and should be ready in September 2020.

Paul First Nation’s new sewage pumping station will transfer wastewater to a treatment facility lagoon in the community while the recently completed fire hall will house an emergency operations centre.

The solid waste transfer station will allow Nation members to dispose of solid waste material in a safe manner without travelling long distances. Water mains were also installed in the community’s townsite connecting homes to the regional water supply and fire hydrants.

The Government of Canada invested approximately $41 million to support the completion of these projects.

Quotes

“Today we are celebrating the end of important projects and the progress of others as a true testament of what the Government of Canada and First Nations can accomplish together. Congratulations to Chief Rain, the Council and the people of Paul First Nation on their dedication to improving infrastructure in their community.”

The Honourable Seamus O’Regan, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Indigenous Services

“This new school has been a priority for the Paul First Nation. Since its inception, everyone has played a part to plan and build our wonderful school. Because the groundwork had been built by our previous Chiefs and Councillors, the key to its success stems from our community. We must recognize everyone who played a part of this capital project and acknowledge that the future of our community is in the hands of our youth.”

Chief Arthur Rain
Paul First Nation

Quick facts

• Paul First Nation is located approximately 65 km west of Edmonton. The community has a population of over 1300 people on reserve.
• In addition to the new kindergarten to grade 9 school, the Nation’s old school is being repurposed to serve current programs for grades 10 to 12, a community hall and Paul First Nation Education Authority office space.
• Four Nations Welding, a First Nations owned and operated company from Maskwacis, Alberta, constructed the bins and lids used at the Paul First Nation waste transfer station. The company owns the rights to import these lids into Canada.

Associated links

• Paul First Nation
• Profile of Paul First Nation
• Budget 2019 Highlights: Indigenous and Northern investments
• Budget 2018 Highlights: Indigenous and Northern investments
• Budget 2017 Highlights — Indigenous and Northern Investments
• Budget 2016 Highlights — Indigenous and Northern Investments
• Investing in First Nations community infrastructure

Contacts

For more information, media may contact:

Kevin Deagle
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan
Minister of Indigenous Services
873-354-0987

Media Relations
Indigenous Services Canada
819-953-1160
SAC.media.ISC@canada.ca

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