![City council endorses heritage nomination for North Saskatchewan River City council endorses heritage nomination for North Saskatchewan River](https://mcusercontent.com/cf49a42db023942d337b0dabf/images/19b61720-06ad-497c-9da8-7fd662f151c0.png)
City council endorses heritage nomination for North Saskatchewan River
Edmonton is the latest in the long list of municipalities along the North Saskatchewan River to endorse designating 818 kilometres of it as a Canadian Heritage River, which could encourage tourism and greater protections against ecological damage — such as contamination from coal mining.
City council voted unanimously on April 19 to support an effort led by Smoky Lake County to make the change under the Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS). The system is a joint provincial, territorial, and federal program that aims to promote and conserve rivers with cultural and environmental value.
Currently, 50 kilometres of the river within Banff National Park has a heritage designation, but Smoky Lake’s effort seeks to designate the remaining kilometres within Alberta. This change requires community support, and Smoky Lake is seeking endorsements from the 16 municipalities that border the section of the river in question. Edmonton is the fourteenth to sign on.
Coun. Aaron Paquette told Taproot that although the designation does not come with concrete regulations or legislation, it would impact decision making when it comes to policies that affect the river.
"It encourages jurisdictions to communicate and work with each other on preservation, on threats, and on development," he said. "There's nothing binding about heritage river status, but symbolically, in the public's mind and in the minds of governments, it's actually quite important."
Kyle Schole, who works in Smoky Lake County's planning and development department, agreed that the designation would allow municipalities to work together on protection strategies. He added that it could also encourage tourism by giving the river national recognition, and that the increased attention would help educate the public on its importance.
"It's not about more enforcement or increased patrols along the river — it's about individual responsibility and education," Schole said.