Northern Manitoba First Nation takes, Canada, province and Manitoba Hydro to court over decades old hydro project

A decades-old hydro project is at the centre of a new legal battle, as a northern Manitoba First Nation claims its land, water, and way of life have been harmed for generations.

Berens River First Nation launched the legal claim against Manitoba Hydro, the government of Manitoba, and the government of Canada. The First Nation is seeking to protect its land, water, and treaty rights from what they claim are long-term environmental and cultural damages caused by the Lake Winnipeg Regulation Project.

“This action is about restoring the balance that has been broken for way too long,” said Paul Disbrowe, a councillor for Berens River First Nation.

Hartley Everett, the Chief of Berens River First Nation added, “This claim is about justice, restoration, and respect.”

The hydroelectric project has been operated by Manitoba Hydro since 1976. It controls water levels on Lake Winnipeg to support power generation, but Beren’s River claims the project has been operating for nearly 50 years without their consent and has led to serious erosion, housing damage, water pollution, and a decline in fish populations.

“Our people can no longer fish where their ancestors fished, our medicines no longer grow where grandmothers once harvested,” said Chief Everett.

While the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium has conducted extensive scientific and environmental assessments of Lake Winnipeg, the First Nation argues that key impacts of the hydro project were never properly assessed.

“The significant effects on the shoreline are due to the regulation of the lake. It’s turning it into a natural lake into a manmade reservoir, and once the studies are done that will be obvious for everyone,” said Bruce McIvor, with First Peoples Law Corporation.

The First Nation is asking for compensation for damages, a full environmental review, and a declaration that the project violates the Constitution and Canada’s obligations under the national declaration of rights of Indigenous Peoples.

CityNews reached out to the province and Manitoba Hydro for comment, but both declined.