Dakota Tipi First Nation is exploring a possible connection to the City of Portage la Prairie’s wastewater system after holding an initial meeting with city officials last week.
Both sides stress that the talks are preliminary, but describe the discussion as positive.
Chief Dennis Pashe says the need for a long-term solution has become urgent.
“A lot of our land in the community has been flooded, or high-water tables created by the Portage Diversion. After a year of waiting to negotiate with the province, as we were advised to, the province has not responded to us. We had to file a legal claim against the Province of Manitoba to deal with all the issues that are caused by the Portage Diversion creating that high water table,” notes Pashe.
He continues, “It’s making it difficult for us to have any kind of septic sewage system in the community because the septic tanks are subject to the high-water table, and it causes a lot of problems. They were running out of land to have any kind of septic tank system or any kind of lagoon system.”
Pashe adds that linking to Portage’s system could help the community deal with pressing health and safety challenges.
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He remarks that day-to-day wastewater management is already strained.
“There have been issues with that right now. Some of it is septic fuel and a lot of it is pumping out holding tanks, and sometimes those tanks are not always pumped out, or overflowing with the high-water usage.”
City and First Nation at the table
Portage councillor and Chair of Waterworks, Faron Nicholls, notes it was valuable to restart a conversation that had surfaced before.
“We had an opportunity to meet, and it was good. The whole premise behind it was there have been talks about different systems that Dakota has in place and what they may need. It’s been ongoing for a number of years right now, probably to the tune of 15 years ago,” he says.
Nicholls mentions it was a general information meeting only.
“It was a good general information meeting. It’s always great to see what the neighbour's needs may be.”
Opportunities beyond wastewater
Pashe continues that Dakota Tipi is also looking at ways to work more closely with the city on economic development.
“We’re building an apartment in Portage la Prairie to try to help some of our off-reserve people... We really want to get involved in creating more employment opportunities and partnerships, and business opportunities as well.”
He notes the apartment project on Saskatchewan Avenue West is ahead of schedule.
“The target was March, but I think it’s going to be before then, probably February,” Pashe says, adding it will feature 54 suites with commercial space on the ground floor.
Nicholls adds that early collaboration helps both sides with planning.
“It gives us a heads up, too, in terms of planning for these big capital projects. If we need to earmark space for some of these developments or their dreams, and that’s exactly what we’re there for,” he says.
Next steps
Chief Pashe, along with Councillors Stone and Miller, are expected to meet with Indigenous Services Canada in the coming weeks to advance Dakota Tipi’s expansion plans.
For now, both sides describe the discussions as preliminary but positive, with further talks expected down the road.
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