N.W.T. water needs greater protection, as Alberta merges major river basins, says MLA

An N.W.T. MLA says the territory needs to fiercely protect treaty rights and territorial waters, amid Alberta’s merger of two major river basins, and the proposed treatment and release of oilsands tailings into the environment.

Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh MLA Richard Edjericon successfully proposed a motion in the N.W.T. Legislative Assembly this month, calling for protection of transboundary waters, in response to Alberta’s consolidation of the Peace/Slave and Athabasca river basins into a single management zone.

Alberta’s Water Amendment Act came into force on March 11, and makes it easier to authorize “low-risk" transfers between basins through a ministerial order.

Northwest Territories Environment Minister Jay Macdonald said in an interview Wednesday that while Alberta has jurisdiction to merge its waters, the definition of “low-risk” transfer remains "open to interpretation."

During the act's development, Macdonald said he was in touch with then-minister Rebecca Schulz. N.W.T. officials have reached out to Alberta's Environment and Protected Areas Minister Grant Hunter, who took his post in January.

"We are working on a conversation with the current minister," Macdonald said.

He was more stern in his opposition to treated tailings water release. 

“The science does not, in our opinion, support treat-and-release at this time. We feel that there's gaps in the work that's been done,” he said.

Alberta, the N.W.T. and the federal government all need to be in tri-lateral discussions on tailings management, said Macdonald.

The Alberta government has billed treat-and-release as a measure to alleviate its growing tailings management problem and allow for expansion of the oilsands.

Alberta’s environment department declined an interview, and did not respond to the CBC’s request for comment.

Whether the treated tailings water will flow is a federal decision, but Premier R.J. Simpson has made it clear to Ottawa and to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith that the N.W.T. is “very entrenched” in its opposition to treat-and-release, said Macdonald.

“Under no circumstances would we change our position until it's clearly proven that the science and the work that needs to be done supports this as a safe [option] beyond all doubt," he said.

Minister Macdonald said he informed Julie Dabrusin, federal environment minister, and outgoing Alberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz that they must seek alternatives to treat-and-release.