The federal transportation minister appeared at the standing committee on transport, infrastructure and communities on December 5 to say that the department intends to improve “proactive” communication with Fort Chipewyan leaders over issues such as contaminants that may be found near Alberta’s First Nation communities.
Despite community leaders saying they became aware of an area of contamination that covers 2,050 m³ around what’s known as the “The Big Dock” in the summer of 2024 through a “leaked” third-party contractor report, Transportation Minister Anita Anand testified to the committee that the Mikisew Cree First Nation and Fort Chipewyan Métis had in fact been informed of the dock contamination.
The word “contamination” may not have been used in correspondence to the communities, Anand told the committee. The reason for this, she said, was because none of the reports found risk to human health.
“I do apologize for the actions of the department of transportation over the last number of years. I have been equally frustrated at the way things have transpired,” Anand told the committee.
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Three northern Alberta Indigenous groups had claimed that Transport Canada withheld a report that noted evidence of soil and water contamination involving nickel, arsenic and harmful hydrocarbons that exceeded guidelines in many samples near the Fort Chipewyan dock where community members swim and fish.
Anand went on to say that she’ll be meeting with Alberta officials to learn more about where the contamination originated.
