For communities that have their own drinking water facilities, skilled personnel can be as vital as the actual facilities. It was the reason behind the $500,000 donation that actor Ryan Reynolds and his wife, Blake Lively, made to the Canadian non-profit Water First Education & Training Inc. On March 24, 2022, in its official statement, Water First announced that the contribution would help train Indigenous youth and young adults who could be potential operators of water treatment facilities and environmental water science technicians.
Four years later, eight Indigenous interns had completed their studies through a drinking water internship program offered by Water First in collaboration with the Association of Kenora and Rainy River Communities (AKRC) and Big Island First Nation. A May 21, 2026, press release from Water First stated that the interns were part of a 15-month training program that consisted of more than 2,000 hours of practical work and four tests needed to become water operators.
The donation made in 2022 was meant to enhance several components of the Water First organization. The contribution was designed to help Indigenous youth develop the knowledge and skills needed to find employment in water treatment and water science. Reynolds and Lively said they would appreciate any education and training that would help people build skills to protect their drinking water and nearby water bodies.
Training to enhance local capacity
According to Water First, the organization collaborates with community leaders from Indigenous communities to create educational programs according to their needs. The communities have varied water-related problems that can be related to treatment facilities, source water quality, or a lack of qualified personnel to manage them. Training local people can help to resolve these problems by employing people locally.
{{/usCountry}}According to Water First, the organization collaborates with community leaders from Indigenous communities to create educational programs according to their needs. The communities have varied water-related problems that can be related to treatment facilities, source water quality, or a lack of qualified personnel to manage them. Training local people can help to resolve these problems by employing people locally.
{{/usCountry}}The 2026 internship was created with the participation of AKRC and the Big Island First Nation. Over 15 months, the graduates completed practical training and coursework, along with four examinations required for certification. This program equips the participants for careers in drinking water treatment and also offers a pathway into environmental water-related professions.
Each graduate completed more than 2,000 hours of on-the-job training, according to the organization. Across its various internship programs, Water First reported that 73 interns from 47 Indigenous communities had graduated by 2026. These figures cover all its internship programs rather than just the cohort with AKRC and Big Island First Nation.
For the participating communities, training local operators was also a way to sustain water services over the long term. Rhonda Nash, AKRC’s operations director, has noted that there were five member First Nations involved in the project, including seven different communities, with two being remote. These communities needed certified operators from their own populations to manage their water systems.
A persistent problem for Indigenous communities
The May 2026 graduation took place against a background of uneven access to safe drinking water in Canada. Water First's announcement that year noted that as many as 16% of First Nations communities were under a drinking water advisory, with the figure reaching 32% in Ontario.
When Reynolds and Lively mentioned their gift in 2022, Water First cited a different national statistic: as much as 15% or approximately one in six First Nations communities across Canada were under drinking water advisories. The charity noted that the Indigenous communities recognized a need for additional qualified youth in professions connected with water management.
The announcement of the donation also explained that the charity's programs were developed in collaboration with communities and tailored to their individual needs rather than following a universal approach. Water First had been discussing its work with Indigenous communities with Reynolds and Lively since January 2022. John Millar, the organization's founder and executive director, said the contribution would expand Water First's capacity to provide hands-on training for young Indigenous people.
Graduates could also join the Alumni Network of Water First, which provides ongoing career development, educational and professional networking resources. According to the organization, its goal is to assist communities in building up their technical capabilities with regard to water management. The eight graduates from the 2026 group are just one group towards achieving that goal through necessary training and examination processes.