N.W.T.-Alberta water agreement under criticism after unilateral suspension of monitoring – CBC

The agreement does ‘nothing’ to protect the N.W.T., Indigenous leader argues

Jul 17, 2020

Two Indigenous leaders in the N.W.T., and a former territorial environment minister, are criticizing a water protection agreement with Alberta.

The N.W.T.-Alberta bilateral water agreement, signed by both governments in 2015, sets out a “common and agreed-to set of conditions regarding water quality, water quantity, fish and other aquatic life,” in the Mackenzie River Basin. The system includes rivers and lakes found in three provinces and two territories.

Earlier this week, leaked emails showed that Alberta suspended some environmental regulations included in that agreement without consulting the N.W.T. government.

Erin Kelly, the N.W.T.’s deputy environment minister, wrote in one email to the Alberta government that the territory “has not been informed of or discussed new changes to monitoring as per [the agreement].”

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-leaders-criticize-alberta-agreement-1.5652730