Alberta First Nation sues province over flood mitigation plans
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The Siksika First Nation has launched a lawsuit against the provincial government over its plans to build a new dam and expand the Ghost Reservoir, a move the band says would impact its treaty rights on the Bow River.
The Siksika First Nation has launched a lawsuit against the provincial government over its plans to build a new dam and expand the Ghost Reservoir, a move the band says would impact its treaty rights on the Bow River.
Furthermore, the band says the government failed to discuss all the proposed options with them and ignored their concerns.
The Siksika First Nation is asking the Alberta Court of King's Bench to set aside the province's decision to proceed with the plan, which the nation calls "unconstitutional and unreasonable."
In September, the Alberta's United Conservative government said it had chosen the site for a new dam on the Bow River, which would expand the Ghost Reservoir and mitigate flood risk for the City of Calgary and surrounding communities.
"Increasing water storage capacity is critical to protecting Calgary and other communities along the Bow River from future floods and drought," Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz said in a news release.
The band said it was included in the talks about water management, but when feasibility studies on other options were underway, they were told their input wouldn't be needed.
"We were told they were outside the scope of the study," Siksika Chief Ouray Crowfoot told The Canadian Press on Sept. 26.
