Notice of Determination for Peepeekisis Cree Nation Youth Safe House

December 17, 2025 - Indigenous Services Canada has determined that the proposed Peepeekisis Cree Nation Youth Safe House project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

The determination was based on a consideration of the following factors:

-the Peepeekisis Cree Nation has authorized the development by Band Council Resolution, and its membership will benefit from the project

-no comments were received from the public about the project

-mitigation measures are required for the project

Implementation of the following mitigation measures is required for the project:

1. The project shall proceed in the manner described in the ISC Project Description, Simple Environmental Review form (Steel River Group, August 26, 2025),  Phase I Environmental Site Assessment for Peepeekisis Developments Ltd., Peepeekisis Safe House (Edge Engineering and Geoscience Ltd., June 25 2023), Wilson, R., (Steel River Group), personal communication (June 10, 2025). The Proponent will immediately notify ISC of any changes to the proposed project, for approval.
2. All applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws and regulations will be adhered to, and permits will be obtained before undertaking any work. This Notice of Determination does not apply to ancillary features associated with this development that were not included in the Project Description form.
3. All work will be carried out in accordance with the Migratory Bird Convention Act and applicable regulations.
   • Prior to finalizing construction plans and in advance of any pre-clearing wildlife sweeps, a qualified environmental practitioner will conduct a targeted baseline flora and fauna inventory of the project footprint and adjacent buffers to document native prairie grasses, forbs, sensitive plants flagged in HABISask or SK CDC databases, and associated wildlife habitats.
   • Surveys will be completed by an Environmental Field Representative / Qualified Environmental Professional familiar with Saskatchewan wildlife, with specific experience identifying migratory bird nesting activity, small mammal burrows, amphibian breeding features, and sign of larger mammals.
   • The pre-clearing wildlife survey will be completed within 7–10 days of initial vegetation clearing or ground disturbance (ideally 48–72 hours prior), with a follow-up sweep if clearing is delayed beyond that window to ensure no new nests or dens have been established in the interim.
   • The survey will cover the entire project footprint plus an additional buffer (e.g., 50–100 m where access and land tenure allow) to detect wildlife features that could be indirectly affected by noise, vibration, or edge effects from construction. The sweep will be conducted during daylight hours (ideally 0600 - 1000h and 1600 - 1900h) in suitable weather (no heavy rain, fog, or high winds) to maximize detectability of visual and acoustic cues and will be informed by HABISask screening results and relevant provincial species detection protocols where applicable.
   • The Qualified Environmental Professional will walk in systematic, parallel transects across the site and buffer at intervals appropriate to vegetation structure (e.g., 10–20 m in grassland/shrubland, narrower spacing in denser cover), pausing regularly (2–5 min/100 m) to listen and visually scan for nests, burrows, dens, roosts, lodges, and wildlife sign (tracks, scat, calls, alarm behaviour, flight displays). Particular attention will be paid to features and microhabitats with higher likelihood of supporting sensitive species, including shrubs, riparian edge vegetation, ground depressions that may hold water, large coarse woody debris, and any existing anthropogenic structures, with closer inspection where bird behaviour or sign suggests a concealed nest.
   • If clearing is scheduled during the core migratory bird nesting period (generally May 1 - August 31 in Saskatchewan prairies per ECCC guidance), the survey will be focused on detecting active nests or nesting behaviour, and any active nests will be flagged and provided with an appropriate no-clearing buffer (e.g., 30–100 m based on species) until young have fledged or the nest is confirmed inactive, consistent with the Migratory Birds Regulations 2022 and associated guidance.
   • Outside the primary nesting period, the survey will emphasize detection of overwintering or year-round features such as raptor stick nests, mammal dens, and beaver lodges, recognizing that the native, high-quality habitat present on site increases the likelihood of wildlife use and warrants conservative interpretation of any features found.
   • All wildlife observations and features will be documented with GPS locations, photos, brief habitat descriptions, and an assessment of activity status (active/inactive), and summarized in a short field memorandum retained in the project file and available to the regulator upon request.
4. If a listed or otherwise sensitive species, active nest, or den is identified during field surveys, the consultant will:
   • Halt work immediately and notify ISC. Environment and Climate Change Canada must also be contacted to determine mitigation strategies.
   • establish a site-specific setback based on regulatory or guideline distances (e.g., from SK CDC/Species Detection Survey Protocols or federal SARA guidance) and will recommend micro-siting adjustments, timing restrictions, or additional monitoring as needed to avoid disturbance, with any work near water also adhering to DFO's Measures to Protect Fish and Fish Habitat for riparian zones.
5. A minimum 30 m undisturbed, vegetated riparian buffer will be maintained between all construction activities and the top of bank of the wetland, consistent with provincial riparian protection guidelines.
   • Within this buffer, existing grasses, shrubs, and riparian vegetation will be preserved to the greatest extent practicable, and any areas incidentally disturbed will be reseeded with an appropriate native or regionally adapted seed mix immediately following construction to restore ground cover.
6. Prior to ground disturbance, perimeter sediment controls (e.g., silt fence or equivalent synthetic sediment barrier) will be installed downgradient of work areas and along the edge of the 30 m buffer where runoff could flow toward the wetland, keyed into the ground 30 cm and constructed in accordance with manufacturer specifications and EPB 124 field guidance.
7. Where localized concentrated flow is expected (e.g., along temporary access or minor swales), temporary check dams or wattles will be placed at 15–30 m intervals to slow runoff and promote settling of suspended sediment before it reaches the vegetated buffer.
8. Site grading will be designed to direct surface runoff away from the wetland and toward stabilized areas within the development footprint (maximum 3:1 slope), minimizing the potential for overland flow to enter the watercourse.
9. All exposed soils will be stabilized as soon as practicable through topsoiling, seeding, mulching, and/or the use of erosion control blankets (e.g., excelsior mats) on slopes >3:1, and these measures will be maintained until 70% permanent vegetation cover is established.
10. Fuel, lubricants, and chemicals will be stored at least 30 m from the watercourse in secondary containment, with equipment refuelling and maintenance conducted on stable, level ground away from drainage paths to the wetland.
11. Any temporary soil or aggregate stockpiles will be located outside the 30 m buffer, graded to shed water away from the wetland (2% slope), and surrounded by sediment controls (e.g., silt fence, berms) to prevent erosion and off-site sediment transport.
12. A designated site supervisor or environmental monitor will inspect erosion and sediment control measures regularly and after significant precipitation or runoff events, repairing or augmenting controls as needed to maintain effectiveness.
13. If monitoring identifies visible sediment-laden runoff approaching the buffer or entering drainage pathways toward the wetland, additional measures (e.g., extending silt fence lines, adding check dams, enhancing mulching) will be implemented immediately, and any affected areas will be cleaned up and re-stabilized.
14. Equipment idling will be kept to a minimum throughout the duration of construction.
15. Dust control must be implemented to prevent air quality impacts and ensure the safety of nearby public.
16. A Traffic Management Plan will be developed to mitigate increased trade traffic.