NWT and Alberta pen water agreement
Environment minister reflects on ‘a long, tough and challenging process’
Miranda Scotland
Northern News Services
Monday, March 23, 2015
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
The territorial government recently signed an agreement with Alberta that will help ensure the territory's waters "remain clean, abundant and productive for all time," according to Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger.
NWT premier Bob McLeod, left, and Alberta premier Jim Prentice signed a bilateral agreement March 18 to manage the waters flowing downstream from Alberta into the NWT. - Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta photo |
The minister, premiers Bob McLeod and Jim Prentice and Alberta Environment Minister Kyle Fawcett penned the Mackenzie River Basin Bilateral Management Agreement in Edmonton March 18.
"Water, of course, doesn't recognize boundaries," said Prentice.
The Mackenzie River Basin is the 10th largest in the world and is home to Canada's longest river, stretching 1,802 km.
The bilateral agreement took years to negotiate and follows from the 1997 Transboundary Waters Master Agreement, which involved the NWT, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Yukon and federal governments.
"This has been a long, tough and challenging process but we pushed ourselves as jurisdictions to find common ground," said Miltenberger. "Normally water issues of this nature are litigated or fought over."
Mechanisms for solving disputes are worked into the agreement and the parties have made arrangements to share knowledge to build a better picture of the health of ecosystems within the basin.
The document also contains conditions for water quality and volume of flow.
"It provides the best balance of fixed rules and flexibility that I am aware of," said Miltenberger.
"We have had experts tell us there is no other water agreement in our country and possibly the world that is as comprehensive, as collaborative, as respectful of ecological integrity, founded on as much consultation and that is as adaptable and responsible to risk and change as this water agreement."
Alberta is already equipped to meet the monitoring requirements set out in the document, noted Fawcett.
At the same time, the territorial government is working on its own water stewardship strategy, released in 2010.
"As a resident of the NWT and as a father and grandfather I have a stake in ensuring the long-term health of our Northern waters and environment," said McLeod, adding he's seen first hand the affects development in the south has on NWT waters.
"Approximately 80 per cent of the NWT's water flows through Alberta. Like all Northerners I am concerned about the effects of upstream development ... the social and economic development in the NWT and in much of Canada depends on the managed, sustainable development of our rich storehouse of natural resources."
Fawcett said Alberta recognizes that the decisions the province makes impacts other jurisdictions and is dedicated to being a socially responsible neighbour.
"Alberta and the NWT are committed to working together to ensure people on both sides of the border have access to healthy and sustainable water supplies," he said. "This is the right thing to do."
The NWT is expected to complete a bilateral agreement with BC in the near future and is in discussions with Saskatchewan.
The territory signed a transboundary agreement with the Yukon in 2002 and plans are underway to update it in the next few months, said Miltenberger.
A similar document will be negotiated with Nunavut.
"(Today's) agreement will serve as a foundation for these other bilateral agreements," said Miltenberger.
