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First Nations on either side of the NWT-Alberta border say they will jointly defend the waters that connect their territories, from the oil sands to the Arctic coast.
The Dene Nation and Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday that the two organizations say establishes a formal partnership to protect and steward shared waters.
In a news release, they described water as “a living and spiritual relative” and said the agreement affirms a shared responsibility to care for it in accordance with ancestral laws, treaty rights and Indigenous jurisdiction.
The two say they will work together on Indigenous-led monitoring and Guardian programs throughout the Mackenzie River basin, push for accountability from governments and the oil sands industry over tailings ponds, and call for independent assessments of tailings ponds’ structural integrity and the downstream effects of pollution on water, ecosystems and human health.
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They also plan to seek reform of Alberta’s Mine Financial Security Program – which is designed to ensure industry covers the cost of cleaning up mines – and examine the effects of lithium development, hydro dams and proposed nuclear reactors along the Peace River.
“Our waters are sacred with a living memory that is central to the wellness of our people and cultures,” Dene National Chief George Mackenzie was quoted as saying.
“Together, the Dene Nation and Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta stand united to ensure the health of our waters for future generations and to hold governments and industries accountable for their actions.”
“Water does not recognize provincial or territorial boundaries, and the effects of decisions made upstream are felt by First Nations peoples from the heart of Treaty 8 Territory to the Arctic Coast,” said Treaty 8 Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi.
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“Our partnership with the Dene Nation strengthens our collective voice and our shared responsibility to defend the lands and waters that sustain our people.”
The agreement demands that treaty peoples be recognized as full decision-making partners in a modernized Mackenzie River Basin Transboundary Waters Master Agreement, and singles out changes to Alberta’s Water Act that could enable transfers of water between river basins.
Alberta passed legislation facilitating some inter-basin transfers in December, a move being challenged in court by three Alberta First Nations. The NWT government has said it is monitoring for downstream impacts.
Trust in upstream water management has been strained since at least 2023, when tailings leaks at Imperial Oil’s Kearl mine went unreported to downstream communities for months, triggering a formal dispute between the NWT and Alberta under their bilateral water agreement.
Mackenzie, who became national chief in 2024, has called for stiffer penalties over Kearl, though the NWT and Alberta governments said last summer they had worked out their differences over the issue.
Wednesday’s agreement builds on a resolution passed at the Dene National Assembly in Fort Good Hope in January, which directed the Dene Nation to seek funding for a dedicated water office focused on protection, research and advocacy.
The two organizations say the memorandum of understanding will be reviewed annually.
