Fort Chipewyan leaders accuse Ottawa of hiding dock ...

A 2017 federal report says the area around Fort Chipewyan’s dock is contaminated. Indigenous leaders in the area say they were never told this, despite Ottawa trying to sell them the dock since 2013.

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The leadership of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN), Mikisew Cree First Nation (MCFN) and Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation want the federal government to clean up the area, conduct further environmental testing, and “hold those that lied to us to account.”

The wharf is near a playground, beach and an intake for the municipality’s water treatment plant. It is also a popular spot for fishing, swimming and an annual community fishing derby. People are being asked to avoid using the waterfront to fish, hunt, swim or drink.

“Over eight years, we’ve dealt with more than 15 Transport Canada employees, including three ministers, and none of them told us. This is a cover up. This is environmental racism and this is deadly,” said Adam at a Wednesday morning press conference.

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“To all the residents of Fort Chipewyan, I am sorry that yet again, the federal government has let you down. I understand if you are hurt or scared and you have every right to be.”

Adam said it was an accident he learned about the contamination. This past summer the First Nation asked Ottawa about dredging Fort Chipewyan’s dock because of concerns about the community’s ability to evacuate.

Water levels in Lake Athabasca and the Athabasca River were low this year, which made it difficult for barges and other boats to reach the community. A busy wildfire season made community leaders nervous after a wildfire caused an evacuation of Fort Chipewyan in 2023.

Transport Canada rejected the request but ACFN felt they had not been given a clear reason why. ACFN tendered bids to dredge the dock and one of the bidders contacted Transport Canada to ask why the initial dredging request was rejected.

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The contractor was given a 2017 report that found 33 out of 35 sample sites in the dock area had high amounts of arsenic, mercury, lead, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), uranium and other cancer-causing hydrocarbons. The amounts in some areas were above normal health thresholds for humans, wildlife and plants.

Community leaders were shown the report and ACFN hired Stantec in September to assess the area. Stantec matched the 2017 report’s findings.

“They haven’t sent any inspectors to the community and they still haven’t addressed our concerns about emergency egress for Fort Chipewyan. Yet, they have told the media they are. They’re continuing to lie and hide the truth from Indigenous people,” said Adam.

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Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation at the frozen shores of Lake Athabasca in Fort Chipewyan on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia NetworkCommunity demands action from Ottawa, meeting with minister

Community leaders demanded a meeting with then-transport minister Pablo Rodriguez in August. Before a meeting could be arranged, Rodriguez resigned to run for leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party.

Kendrick Cardinal, president of Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation and a municipal councillor, invited the current minister, Anita Anand, to visit Fort Chipewyan and meet with leadership. Community leaders also want Ottawa to reimburse them for the money spent on assessments, dredge the dock and build a temporary dock while this work is done.

“It’s important that we acknowledge the inherent right of the Indigenous people here in Fort Chipewyan and how important it is to have access to on-the-land activities and to be able to provide for their families like they have done for centuries,” Cardinal said at the press conference.

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“We’re open to options and to a clear community dialogue to have all parties at the table.”

There are multiple sources of the contaminants. The dock was built in 1961 and has not been upgraded, treated or repaired in years. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) has in the past also urged Ottawa to repair and upgrade the dock.

The federal report says petroleum has been offloaded at the dock for decades. These days it is pumped into trucks but there used to be petroleum storage tanks next to the dock. In 1986, Petro Canada reported an 18,000 litre spill when those tanks overflowed. A similar spill happened the following year.

Uranium ore was also historically brought to the dock, but not unloaded at this location. However, the report cites a 1997 report found gamma radiation on-site in a previous assessment.

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Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro said MCFN is considering legal action against the federal government. Both Tuccaro and Cardinal say they have heard fear and worry from people after the community was told the news on Tuesday afternoon.

“The federal government always talks about truth and reconciliation, but yet they cannot be truthful to something that’s so important to us, and that’s the health of our water,” Tuccaro said at the press conference.

“The federal government was willing to offload it to the nations and give us this liability and risk and put it to our people.”

Fort Chipewyan Wharf on the shores of Lake Athabasca on Thursday December 11, 2014. Vince McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia NetworkCommunity distrust towards government already high

Spokespeople for Anand’s office and Transport Canada did not mention why the contamination was not shared with community leaders. However, a spokesperson for Anand’s office says there is no risk to human health in the area. Dredging the wharf right now would move contaminated sediment and the federal government says it is developing a plan.

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“Our government is working with the local First Nations community to ensure that operations at the port facility are carried out safely. Remote and Indigenous communities must have access to the safe and reliable connectivity that they need,” said a brief statement from Anand’s office.

The RMWB says it is aware of the concerns raised by Fort Chipewyan’s leadership and is working with local leaders on the matter.

Fort Chipewyan’s community leaders were already had suspicions towards the oilsands industry and other levels of government.

Imperial Oil’s Kearl facility reported recent seepages from tailings ponds between May 2022 and February 2023. Imperial Oil and the Alberta Energy Regulator told Fort Chipewyan’s leadership about the first spill nine months later when a second spill occurred.

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More than 5.3 million litres of tailings and 670,000 litres of contaminated water seeped from the site. Imperial Oil says the company has installed measures to mitigate the seepages and that they are working.

The federal government is funding a $12 million, 10-year study on whether the oilsands is causing serious impacts on the health of people living in Fort Chipewyan. For decades, local leaders have blamed oilsands pollution for causing cancers in their community. Industry groups have denied this claim.

“It is kind of in line with the Imperial incident because again, information was withheld but this time it’s on a grander scale. It’s over years, not nine months,” said Tuccaro.

“For them to sweep this under the rug is something we cannot take lightly.”

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