Wolf Lake area being explored as Indigenous Protected Conservation Area

Local municipal representatives will be presenting information and outlining concerns at a meeting in La Corey on Thursday about an Indigenous Protected Conservation Area. 

Toma Consulting has been hired by the Metis Settlements General Council to do a feasibility study about having the land in the Wolf Lake area, as well as Amisk Lake near Lac La Biche, become Indigenous Protected Conservation Areas (IPCA). 

The consulting firm presented to the M.D. of Bonnyville on Sept. 28 and looked for feedback as they talk with oil companies, Metis Settlements and First Nations, water and wildlife groups, and municipalities that neighbour these areas.

An IPCA is areas of land and water where Indigenous peoples and governments have long-term commitment to protection, conservation and management of land and habitat. 

The funding to explore an IPCA is coming from the feds, and Toma said during their presentation that the Alberta government is involved as well.

Darrell Toma said during the presentation that generally the positives from these agreements are that they place on sustainability, and stewardship versus excluding activity. 

How an IPCA would change the current uses of the lands remains unclear.

“Most of the Indigenous stakeholders have highlighted the use of the hunting and fishing, berry picking, some have highlighted recreational use,” said Carrie Selin, Solstice Environmental Management, who is assisting Toma with the consultation.

She has spoke with Fishing Lake, Kikino, Elizabeth, Buffalo Lake Metis Settlements, as well as Kehewin Cree Nation so far. 

“The biggest concern I guess in terms of what I’ve heard is that several of the Indigenous peoples feel that if they do nothing in terms of a protecting and conservating these areas, then their connection to the land will be lost.”

Since April, discussions have been going on to compromise the feasibility study, with financial and government reviews to come afterward.

After the late September presentation, the M.D. of Bonnyville made a motion at the Oct. 12 meeting to oppose the development of the IPCA until they receive some clarity on assessment control, land use planning, control, the M.D. of Bonnyville’s autonomy on lands inside the municipalities, jurisdiction, boundaries and continue future resident use for the lands in question, it reads. 

The motion also calls for drafting a letter to the Premier, Minister of Environment and Parks, Minister of Municipal Affairs, and Minister of Indigenous Relations from the Reeve Barry Kalinski, about their concerns.

“It was a vast presentation. And they were talking about our area, but they really didn’t know nothing about our area,” Reeve Barry Kalinski told Lakeland Connect. 

“The information was very, very poor. And it didn’t seem like for our area. So it almost seems like  the federal government is trying to push something into our area that I believe that nobody wants.”

If the feasibility study was given the green light, the planning would begin in 2023.

The meeting at Willow Prairie Hall is set for 7:00pm.

More to follow.