Treaty Fact: How are Basin community interests reflected in the Treaty modernization process?

Province of B.C. community meeting on the Columbia River Treaty in Golden, B.C., 2019

Columbia Basin community interests have been guiding the Treaty modernization process since 2012. The Province has been engaging with Indigenous Nations, local governments, and residents to learn what Treaty-related issues matter to them and what improvements they want to see. People have been providing input through in-person and virtual public meetings, social media, emails, phone calls and letters. Members of the Canadian negotiating team, including Canada’s Chief Negotiator and representatives from B.C. and the Ktunaxa, Secwepémc and Syilx Okanagan Nations attend the public meetings to share updates, answer questions, and hear from residents firsthand.

In addition to connecting with the public broadly, there are two committees the Province engages with regularly – the Columbia River Treaty Local Governments Committee and the Columbia Basin Regional Advisory Committee. These groups have members from across the Basin and are providing suggestions and advice on what an improved Treaty could look like. The Local Governments Committee has submitted official recommendations for a modernized Treaty to the provincial and federal governments and Indigenous Nations.

Input from all these sources is informing Canada’s negotiating principles, strategies, and proposals for modernizing the Treaty. It has guided the Canadian team’s priorities to negotiate a Treaty that includes considerations for ecosystems, improves coordination of Libby Dam operations and increases flexibility for Canadian operations to meet domestic objectives for ecosystems, Indigenous cultural values, and socio-economic interests, while continuing to enable power generation and flood risk management.

Visit the B.C. Columbia River Treaty Public Engagement page to learn about past engagement activities, upcoming events, and to browse materials from all public sessions.