Eight Indigenous trainees in Canada have completed a 15-month programme to become certified drinking water operators, highlighting the continuing impact of a $500,000 donation that Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively made to a Canadian charity in 2022.
The trainees graduated from an internship programme run by Water First Education & Training Inc., in partnership with the Anishinaabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council (AKRC) and Big Island First Nation. The programme provided more than 2,000 hours of hands-on training to each participant. They also completed four examinations required for Water Operator certification.
Water First announced the graduates on 21 May 2026, following their completion of the programme. The organisation said the training would help Indigenous communities develop local expertise in drinking water management and create employment opportunities for their residents.
Reynolds and Lively donated $500,000 to Water First on 24 March 2022. The contribution supported the charity’s education and skills development programmes for Indigenous youth and young adults. It aimed to prepare more people for careers as water treatment plant operators and environmental water science technicians.
The couple’s contribution also supported educational opportunities for Indigenous schoolchildren interested in water science. Reynolds said access to clean drinking water was a basic human right and stressed the importance of training local people to protect their communities’ water resources.
Water First works with Indigenous communities to develop training programmes that address their specific water management challenges. These include inadequate treatment facilities, concerns over water quality and a shortage of qualified personnel to operate local water systems.
The need for trained operators remains particularly pressing in Canada. According to Water First, 16 per cent of First Nations communities face drinking water advisories, with the figure rising to 32 per cent in Ontario.
Rhonda Nash, AKRC’s director of operations, said the participating communities needed certified local operators to manage their water treatment facilities. The partnership involved five member First Nations, comprising seven communities, including two remote settlements.
The latest graduates add to Water First’s wider training achievements. By May 2026, the organisation had helped 73 interns from 47 Indigenous communities complete its various internship programmes. Together, they had accumulated approximately 170,000 hours of work at local water treatment facilities and training workshops.
Graduates can also join Water First’s Alumni Network, which provides continuing education, career development and professional networking opportunities. The organisation aims to help Indigenous communities strengthen their ability to manage local water resources independently and sustainably.
