Taking Action

CHCN v. Province of Saskatchewan
June 10, 2025

CUMBERLAND HOUSE CREE NATION LAUNCHES TREATY INFRINGEMENT CLAIM TO PROTECT THE SASKATCHEWAN RIVER DELTA AND AVOID FURTHER LOSS OF THE VALUABLE WETLAND

Saskatoon, June 10, 2025: The Saskatchewan River Delta is the largest inland delta in North America, and the homeland of Cumberland House Cree Nation (CHCN). This vital wetland is in the process of drying up because of industrial, agricultural and urban activities upstream, resulting in large-scale reductions in the populations of furbearers, birds and fish, and the undermining of CHCN’s way of life.

Today ­– on what is known to CHCN as “Delta Day” – CHCN is filing in the Saskatchewan Court of King’s Bench a claim against the Province of Saskatchewan to protect the Saskatchewan River Delta and CHCN’s constitutionally-protected Treaty rights.

In Treaty No. 5, CHCN’s ancestors agreed to share the lands and waters of its territory with settlers. In exchange, the Crown promised that CHCN would be able to continue to hunt, fish and trap, and maintain its way of life.

In the claim filed today, CHCN alleges the Province of Saskatchewan has failed to uphold that fundamental promise. CHCN is pursuing this claim in order to protect its Treaty rights, its way of life, and its homeland – Kitaskīnaw, also known as the Saskatchewan River Delta.

The Saskatchewan River Delta is a place of outstanding ecological importance. It has historically been a wetland of astonishing productivity, providing habitat for vast populations of migratory birds, furbearing animals and fish.

For countless generations, CHCN has depended on the Saskatchewan River Delta as the foundation of its culture and identity. It is where CHCN members have always practiced their culture and passed it on to their children and grandchildren. CHCN members cannot be who they are as an Indigenous people without the Delta.

The Delta, however, is now in a state of ecological crisis because of upstream activities approved and supported by the Province of Saskatchewan. Hydroelectric activities profoundly alter water flows into the Delta and starve it of vital sediment and nutrients. Water withdrawal for irrigation and industrial and urban uses dramatically reduce the amount of water that reaches the Delta. Runoff from cities and agriculture pollutes the water that enters the Delta, such that it is no longer safe to drink.

Saskatchewan has approved and supported these activities without any credible plan for managing their cumulative impacts on the Delta and on CHCN’s Treaty rights.

The results for the Delta and CHCN are dire. Substantial amounts of wetlands have been lost, and other areas are in the process of drying up. Populations of furbearers, birds and fish have plummeted. CHCN members cannot access key areas of the Delta. Because of the changes in water levels and flows, using the Delta is now far more dangerous. And many species essential to CHCN’s culture are no longer available.

“For far too long the Province of Saskatchewan has disregarded the Delta and our rights”, said Cumberland House Cree Nation Chief Rene Chaboyer. “We are pursuing this litigation against the Province of Saskatchewan to compel the responsible management of upstream activities. The Delta and our rights are too important to be ignored.”

“The Saskatchewan River Delta is a unique ecosystem that provides extensive habitat for wildlife and migratory birds”, said Aaron Kuchirka, founder of Climate Smart Services, a consultant working with CHCN. “The continued degradation of the Delta due to a lack of responsible management would result in the loss of one of Canada’s largest carbon sinks and irreversible impacts upon wildlife populations.”

June 10th, known as “Delta Day”, holds great significance for CHCN. Four years ago, on June 10, 2021, CHCN declared its sovereignty over Kitaskīnaw (the “Great River Delta” in Nehinawewin) and reaffirmed its commitment to preserving the Delta for future generations. Since the 2021 declaration, CHCN has continued its work to establish protocols and standards that ensure responsible use of Kitaskīnaw and to protect the Delta against outside threats.

For more information on the Saskatchewan River Delta please visit www.saskriverdelta.com.

Media Contact:
Tim Dickson
JFK Law LLP
604-992-2720

Nadina Gardiner
Climate Smart Services 
306-888-7630