Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Caitlin Cleveland issued the following statement today following the public release of the third-party investigation into elevated lead levels in school drinking water systems:

“As a parent, a lifelong resident of Yellowknife, and the Minister of Education, I want to begin by acknowledging how difficult and distressing this situation has been for families, students, and staff. I understand the frustration and concern that many are feeling.

The investigation confirms that warning signs were missed, key test results weren’t escalated quickly enough, and communication between departments and with the public was inconsistent. These are serious systemic failures that affected both safety and trust. That is not acceptable. I take full responsibility for ensuring we fix it.

I want to thank the independent investigator for their detailed and thorough report. It lays out a clear path forward, and we are accepting all of its recommendations in principle. We are now developing a territory-wide school water testing program, informed by national best practices and lessons learned. This will include a standardized protocol with clearly defined roles, timelines, and formal coordination between departments and the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer. Public reporting will be consistent and tied to risk-based action. Testing for all NWT schools is being actively explored — and we are committed to doing the work required to make that happen.

I also want to acknowledge the role that public servants played in identifying this issue. The decision to begin testing came from within the system — from staff who saw a gap and took initiative. While the approach lacked coordination and rigour, it ultimately helped uncover a serious problem. We are not going to punish initiative. In fact, we want to build a culture that encourages proactive thinking and speaking up, backed by clear processes and accountability.

We can’t undo what happened. But we can take responsibility, learn from it, and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Rebuilding trust will take time. It starts with transparency, meaningful action, and a clear commitment to follow through. That’s what families expect — and that’s what I’m committed to delivering.”

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