Public Notice

Notice of intent to make a determination

George Gordon First Nation Lagoon Upgrades – Public Comments Invited

July 28, 2025 – Indigenous Services Canada must determine whether the proposed George Gordon First Nation Lagoon Upgrades project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. To help inform this determination, Indigenous Services Canada is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination.

Written comments must be submitted by August 27, 2025 to:

Indigenous Services Canada
Alvin Hamilton Building, 1783 Hamilton Street
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 2B6
Email: isc-skenv@sac-isc.gc.ca

The Proposed Project

George Gordon First Nation is proposing construction of a new lagoon, access road, and associated force main installations. The proposed lagoon site is located approximately 500 m east of the existing community lagoon on undeveloped land. A new facultative lagoon with a 0.72 hectare sized primary cell and a storage cell sized with a capacity of 16,455 cubic metres will be constructed, along with approximately 1 km of newly constructed roadway to provide access to the lagoon from the existing roadway network. Approximately 1 km of new sewage force main piping will also be installed to convey wastewater from the existing sewage pumping station to the proposed lagoon. The existing lagoon will be decommissioned and returned to a natural vegetative state upon commissioning of the new sewage lagoon.

Site preparation activities will include stripping and stockpiling of topsoil from the proposed lagoon site and the force main piping right of way. Construction of the lagoon will include excavation to cell floor elevations and placement of earthen fill to construct the perimeter berms. Installation of new sewage force mains will include excavation to designated depths, installation of piping, backfill, and topsoil replacement. Standard practices will apply to operation and maintenance of the lagoon once commissioning has been completed, which include seasonal effluent releases from the storage cell. Effluent quality testing will be completed to ensure applicable standards are being achieved.