The Clearwater River Dene Nation says its planned Industry Monitoring Checkpoint is designed to improve communication and transparency—not block responsible resource development—in the western Athabasca Basin.
The Nation announced last week that it plans to establish the checkpoint on Highway 955 beginning in August.
According to spokesperson John Desjarlais, the goal is to better understand who is entering the Nation’s traditional territory and what industrial activities are taking place.
“The checkpoint is not a blockade. It’s not intended to be that at all. It’s really about getting greater transparency and understanding in terms of who’s coming and going in CRDN’s territory.”
Desjarlais said it was important to reassure industry partners that the Nation continues to support responsible uranium exploration and mining.
“The Nation is certainly in favour of good, meaningful development, but it’s really important that development reflects meaningful partnerships… transparency, who’s coming and going and what they’re going for.”
He said the decision was driven by two main concerns. The Nation found there was increasing industrial activity taking place without always knowing who was operating in the area, while a series of incidents involving land users and some developers also highlighted the need for improved communication.
“The Nation felt there was a lot of activity in the area and it wasn’t clear who was all in the area. There were also a few incidents where land users felt there was disruption and disrespect to their rights.”
The checkpoint will be located on Clearwater River Dene Nation reserve land and is expected to operate 24 hours a day with Nation members staffing the site. Workers travelling through the area will be asked to identify their company, the general nature of their work and where they are operating.
Desjarlais noted the Nation operated a similar checkpoint several years ago before discontinuing it after relationships with industry improved. He said renewed activity in the region has prompted the Nation to reintroduce the program.
He added that many companies already have impact benefit agreements or other positive working relationships with Clearwater River Dene Nation, but others have yet to establish the level of engagement the Nation is seeking.
Ultimately, Desjarlais said the goal is to strike a balance between economic opportunity and protecting Treaty rights.
“The Nation is very committed to that balance… pursuing sustainable development, but also making sure that its members can still live and use the land on their terms.”
The checkpoint is expected to begin operating sometime in August, although an exact opening date has not yet been announced.
(TOP PHOTO – a provided Google Earth photo of the planned chackpoint)