Contaminated Sites On-Reserve program
The Contaminated Sites On-Reserve (CSOR) program is responsible for managing contaminated sites on reserve lands and any other lands that fall under Indigenous Services Canada’s (ISC) responsibility.
Reporting new environmental emergencies
To report a recent or occurring spill of a hazardous substance or other environmental emergency, please go to Report an environmental emergency.
On this page
About the program
This program provides funding to First Nations to identify, assess and remediate contaminated sites on reserve lands and other lands under the department’s responsibility. The program’s objectives include:
- reducing risks to human health and the environment
- ensuring that reserve lands are available for economic and community development or traditional use
- reducing federal liability associated with contaminated sites
CSOR is funded primarily through the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP). FCSAP is administered by the Treasury Board Secretariat and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
To support the assessment and remediation of contaminated sites on reserve lands CSOR uses the federal contaminated sites 10-step process.
The contributors to contamination within a reserve come primarily from
- fuel-related practices such as improper fuel storage and handling, leaking from abandoned fuel tanks and infrastructure
- unregulated disposal of household, commercial and industrial waste
Learn more about all known and suspected contaminated sites under ISC’s departmental responsibility:
Learn more about the Government of Canada’s definition of these sites:
What sites are eligible for funding
Eligible expenditures under the program can be divided into environmental site assessment and remediation.
Examples of on-reserve sites that are eligible for CSOR funding include:
- sites connected to community facilities (for example, schools, band council offices, municipal garage)
- former ISC diesel plants
- former dump sites (authorized or unauthorized)
Examples of on-reserve sites that are not eligible for funding include:
- waste and dump sites currently in operation
- sites on Certificate of Possession lands
- operating businesses and private fuel facilities
- sites established after becoming operational under First Nations Land Management
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. To determine if your site is eligible for funding, contact your ISC regional office.
For more information on the management of federal contaminated sites, please consult Contaminated sites.
How to apply for funding
The program operates on an open intake basis, with site assessment and remediation work prioritized according to site risk and community priorities. Please contact your ISC regional office to discuss your project.
Who can report a contaminated site on a reserve
- First Nations community members
- band councils or First Nations communities
- district and chief councils
- tribal councils
- First Nations organizations, associations and institutions
How to report a contaminated site
To report a suspected contaminated site on a reserve at any time, please contact your ISC regional office.
Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan results
Key FCSAP program results are published each year through the FCSAP annual report. The reports include:
- total expenditures
- number of assessment and risk-reduction activities
- number of closed sites
To see the full list of FCSAP publications, please consult Federal contaminated sites: Publications