A group of Saskatchewan and Alberta First Nations have signed an agreement to help improve water quality.
Fishing Lake, George Gordon, Ochapowace and Piapot are the Saskatchewan First Nations that are part of the agreement.
Alexander and T’suu T’ina are the Alberta First Nations.
The Saskatchewan Water Action Network (SWAN) is helping provide water and wastewater education in support of the agreement.
“They got together and started to go down a path to band together and educate people and form a First Nation-led group, so that’s what they did,” Jason Tratch, Saskatchewan Water Action Network board chairman, says. “It’s really about water and wastewater and protecting the First Nation lands and banding together to be an advanced voice.”
Representatives from the communities involved are forming their own board to discuss solutions to water-related issues.
The agreement states the group will prevent any federal, provincial, or municipal government from imposing rules and regulations concerning water, waste-water and development that hinders the progression of sovereign nations.
Another focus of the agreement is to use new and improved water technology.
“They want to do it independently and they really want to focus on education and future jobs in the water industry,” Tratch, who is also the CEO of Proteus Waters, says. “Other First Nations were interested to be invited to see what’s going on.”
(Photo courtesy of Fabian Ratt.)