Some Montreal Lake Cree Nation residents are receiving up to $7,800 in compensation. (ID 50190568 © Erik Rosenlund Knudsen | Dreamstime.com)

By Derek Cornet

federal responsibility

Clean water settlement cheques start flowing into Montreal Lake Cree Nation

Sep 5, 2025 | 4:00 PM

Members of Montreal Lake Cree Nation have begun receiving federal payments as part of the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Class Action Settlement Agreement.

The settlement agreement was approved in December 2021 for certain First Nations and their members who were subjected to a drinking water advisory that lasted at least one year between Nov. 20, 1995, and June 20, 2021.

It includes compensation for individuals and impacted First Nations subject to a drinking water advisory during that timeframe, along with commitments to fund the construction, operation, and maintenance of infrastructure to ensure First Nations have regular access to safe drinking water in their homes.

Montreal Lake Coun. Carol Naytowhow explained while she was unsure how many members were eligible for payments, she said not all were receiving payments at once. Depending on age, some members receive about $7,800 and others get $3,600.

“They are just rolling in slowly and we have no idea which way they are rolling in. Some have received it, some haven’t,” she remarked.

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“With that, one of the things I can say about it is there are some families, as everyone is waiting for this drinking water money, they make plans in what they want to do with it. It is nice to see there are some families who have taken trips with it. Some families have caught up with their bills with it and, because of the price of food, some families feel secure with food at home.”

Montreal Lake is a community with an on-reserve population of 1,800 people. Not every member was entitled to compensation as there was an application period to determine who was eligible. In total, approximately $1.5 billion was made available in compensation for individuals deprived of clean drinking water.

The agreement also included a commitment of at least $6 billion to support reliable access to safe drinking water on reserves, as well as the creation of a $400 million First Nation Economic and Cultural Restoration Fund, and a renewed commitment to Canada’s action plan for the lifting of all long-term drinking water advisories.

Naytowhow estimates Montreal Lake started receiving clean drinking water in either 2016 or 2017, but noted residents went a considerable period of time without it.

“At the time, we were basically surviving, going on day-to-day life and we really didn’t even think about,” she said.

“We knew we were under a boil water advisory, yet we just continued on boiling our water and whatever, but we didn’t look into the effects of what is it doing to our body, how does it affect any kind of skin conditions and all of that. All of that was listed in the drinking water settlement.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com