Around the globe, Canada is known for its nature. The nation has a lot to be proud of, with millions of lakes, rivers, mountains, and forests. Canada supports wilderness and biodiversity of global significance. Nature shapes Canada’s identity. In the past, rivers were travel corridors for exploration and transportation. Today, rivers form a foundation for recreation, cultural activities, and ecological appreciation.

But with so many rivers, which rivers are most significant in shaping Canada as a nation? The Canadian Heritage River System provides a platform to designate and celebrate the rivers that stand out. Some of the rivers in the system include the Ottawa River, Athabasca River and Fraser River. Some of the rivers in the system symbolize wilderness, while others set the stage for industrial development. For a river to join the Canadian Heritage River System ranks, the river must be nominated, designated, and have a management plan. Each stage of this process requires political support, synthesizing information about the river, and public engagement.

Smoky Lake County, Alberta with support from riverside municipalities and Indigenous groups, is leading the charge to designate the remaining Alberta portion of the North Saskatchewan River to the Canadian Heritage River System. A 49 km section of the river that lies within Banff National Park joined the Canadian Heritage River System in 1989. The remaining 1226 km that flow through Alberta and Saskatchewan remain unrecognized. In 2021, Smoky Lake County contacted Wise Use to advise the County on public engagement.

Wise Use executed a public engagement survey and coached the project team on webinar delivery. We learned that 87% of the people we heard from supported the nomination of the Alberta portion of the North Saskatchewan River to the Canadian Heritage River System. Those that opposed the process were most concerned with change and future restrictions to access. We heard that the North Saskatchewan River generates and sustains a wide variety of recreational activities, cultural practices, and nature appreciation. There is a yearning to learn more about the Indigenous peoples’ history and culture along the North Saskatchewan River from what we heard. Numerous extraordinary areas were identified, providing daily and multi-day exploration. In essence, the North Saskatchewan River delivers a platform to connect to the past and enrich the present.

“Smoky Lake County benefited immensely in partnering with Wise Use. Eric’s knowledgeability and professionalism are amply evident, and contributed to our success. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Wise Use, and I hope we will be in a position to do so again in the future!”

Kyle Schole, Smoky Lake County