Indigenous Group: Mikisew Cree First Nation

Business: Federal Government

Issue: Mikisew Cree First Nation in December 2014 applied to have Wood Buffalo National Park added to UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger because their way of life is tied to the Peace-Athabasca Delta and Canada’s failure to protect this important area has put their people at risk.

Comment: Parks Canada – Wood Buffalo National Park was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Canada’s largest World Heritage Site covers 4.5 million hectares of Canada’s boreal plains in northern Alberta and the southern Northwest Territories and also contains the Peace-Athabasca Delta, one of the largest freshwater deltas. The land in the park and its surroundings is an integral part of indigenous and local culture, spirituality and livelihoods, including of the Métis. WBNP’s impressive natural heritage includes the world’s largest herd of free-ranging Wood Bison and the breeding ground for the only wild, self-sustaining migratory flock of Whooping Cranes in the world.

Latest Updates: June 26, 2018: Toronto Star – an environmental assessment provided to UNESCO says oilsands activity, climate change and hydro development are fundamentally changing the environment of Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta. The report’s executive summary suggests things are getting worse in the Peace-Athabasca Delta. The report says hydroelectric development, oilsands, pulp and paper facilities, industrial mines, forestry and municipal development are all likely to affect the park in future.