Water for life in Alberta, Canada: Assessing First Nations engagement

• Main Authors: Schultz, Juliane, Baijius, Warrick, Patrick, Robert J
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) - l’Institut canadien des urbanistes (ICU); Association of Canadian Urban Planning Programs (ACUPP) -L’Association des Programmes Universitaires Canadiens en Urbanisme (APUCU) 2023
• Subjects: Alberta; Water for Life; First Nations; watershed planning; Indigenous planning; Water for Life Strategy; Premières Nations; aménagement de bassins hydrographiques; politique d’aménagement autochtone
• Online Access: https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/cpp/article/view/15685

Water is integral to Alberta’s economy, grounded in agriculture, power generation, extractive industry, tourism, and recreation. In 2003, the Government of Alberta released the Water for Life Strategy (the Strategy) amidst growing public concerns over multiple impacts on provincial water resources. The Strategy is a framework document guiding the development of watershed plans across the provincial landscape to be implemented by Watershed Protection and Advisory Committees (WPACs). This paper explores the extent to which First Nations in Alberta were included in the government’s development of the Strategy and in the implementation of the Strategy by the WPACs. Our research data was gathered through key informant interviews with WPAC personnel as well as content analysis of relevant planning documents from provincial and WPAC sources. The research results point to an absence of First Nations inclusion in both the development of the provincial water Strategy as well as the implementation of the Strategy through the WPAC policies and plans. The results also identify institutional gaps and opportunities by which the provincial government and the WPACs may engage more effectively and inclusively with Indigenous communities. From our analysis, we recommend a series of institutional arrangements to advance far greater inclusion of Indigenous voices and recognition of Indigenous peoples as rights-holders, in watershed planning in Alberta. L’eau fait partie intégrante de l’économie de l’Alberta, fondée sur l’agriculture, la production d’électricité, l’industrie extractive, le tourisme et les loisirs. En 2003, le gouvernement de l’Alberta a publié le document « Water for Life Strategy » alors que le public s’inquiétait de plus en plus sur les répercussions multiples sur les ressources en eau de la province. « Water for Life Strategy » est un document-cadre guidant l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre de plans de bassins hydrographiques dans l’ensemble de la province. Ceux-ci sont implantés par des Conseils consultatifs et ...