Minister's Response

Date: December 13, 2019

Project:

The Lang West Conservation and Development Area Authority, on behalf of a group of landowners holding property in the area, is proposing to expand an existing drainage network within the Moose Jaw River Watershed for the diversion of surface water from agricultural lands. Located approximately 32 kilometres northwest of Weyburn, near the town of Lang, Saskatchewan, the project would operate indefinitely and consists of the addition of approximately 4.1 kilometres of drainage channels (ditches) and installation of five new flow controls connected to the existing drainage network. The project does not propose to increase the diversion capacity of the existing network.

Decision:

Non-designated project

Reasons:

The Minister of Environment and Climate Change has considered the potential for the project to cause adverse effects within federal jurisdiction, adverse direct or incidental effects, public concern related to these effects, as well as adverse impacts on the Aboriginal and treaty rights of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. The Minister also considered the analysis of the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.

The Minister has reached the decision that the designation of the Project is unwarranted for the following reasons:

  • the regulatory review processes that currently apply to the Project and related consultations with Indigenous Peoples provide a robust framework to address the potential adverse aforementioned effects and concerns raised by Indigenous Peoples and members of the public. This includes:
    • licences, permits and approvals required for the Project pursuant to the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency Act, Water Security Agency Regulations, and Agricultural Water Management Strategy sets requirements to ensure that environmental effects are localized and mitigated within provincial jurisdiction;
    • Saskatchewan Water Security Agency's Drainage Application and Options for Obtaining Land Control on First Nations Land Policy and the Saskatchewan Government's First Nation and Métis Consultation Policy Framework;
    • Interprovincial memorandum of understanding and agreements between Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Government of Canada; and
    • International Souris River Board review and the Boundary Waters Treaty between Canada and the United States;
  • the Project must comply with relevant provisions of federal legislation, including the Fisheries Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the Species at Risk Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994.

 

Document Reference Number: 1

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