Photo by Curtis Galbraith.

By Curtis Galbraith

First Nations

Treaty 8 First Nations call for suspension of Water Amendment Act

Nov 28, 2025 | 12:00 PM

Chiefs in the Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta say they have “urgent and serious concerns” about the province’s proposed changes to the Water Act.

In a release, the First Nations say the changes are being made with “no consultation whatsoever” and that Bill 7, the Water Amendment Act, will give the provincial government more control over water that “sustains Treaty 8 territory.”

The release says they are also concerned the new legislation would threaten the ecosystems and water that support fishing, hunting, gathering and trapping.

“Bill 7 is not a technical amendment; it is a fundamental shift in how water is controlled, allocated, and transferred in Alberta. By advancing this legislation without First Nation involvement, Alberta is eroding the Treaty relationship and failing to uphold its legal and moral obligations,” says Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi in that same release.

The Treaty 8 First Nations have a list of demands that include the following:

• Immediate suspension of all legislative advancement of Bill 7
• Direct government-to-government consultation with each Treaty 8 Nation
• Formal recognition of First Nations jurisdiction and sovereignty over water
• Full cumulative impact assessment and mitigation measures prior to any water transfers
• Co-governance and shared decision-making in all water policy frameworks
• A firm commitment that no inter-basin transfers affecting Treaty No. 8 waters will proceed without First Nation consent