June 7, 2022 — Fort Frances, Treaty 3 Territory, Ontario — Indigenous Services Canada

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Services are marking Environment Week by celebrating Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Services assuming control of the delivery of Environmental Public Health Services (EPHS) in the communities it serves.

The transfer of EPHS puts decision-making power in the hands of Indigenous governments and organizations, who can then make their own choices about how to deliver programs and services in their communities. Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Services has assumed responsibility for food safety, safe drinking water, healthy housing, public facility inspections, waste and wastewater management, communicable disease control, and emergency preparedness and response for the following communities:

• Mishkosiminziibiing First Nation
• Couchiching First Nation
• Chima’aganing First Nation
• Mitaanjigamiing First Nation
• Zhingwaako Zaaga’ Igan First Nation
• Naicatchewenin First Nation
• Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation
• Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation
• Manidoo Baa Witi Gong First Nation
• Anishinaabeg of Naongashiing

ISC supports capacity development programming to enable communities to adapt plans to their culture and traditions. Core funding from ISC will continue to be provided through ISC’s health protection programs to Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Services to support ongoing costs of First Nations service delivery while also maintaining public health support as required.