Landfill Cleanup on Beardy's and Okemasis Cree Nation Reserve
Official title: Beardy's and Okemasis Cree Nation Solid Waste Removal and Landfill Decommissioning
Indigenous Services Canada is cleaning up 17 waste sites on Beardy's and Okemasis Cree Nation reserve lands in Saskatchewan. The sites have accumulated household garbage, appliances, tires, and other waste over the years. The plan is to remove the waste and haul it to approved locations off-reserve, then monitor water quality going forward.
Why This Matters
Live on or near the Beardy's and Okemasis reserve? This cleanup could improve local water quality and remove eyesores from the community. The project also sets a precedent for how waste sites on reserve lands get cleaned up across Canada.
What Could Change
Seventeen dump sites will be decommissioned. Visible waste gets removed, buried waste cells get properly closed or excavated, and ongoing water monitoring begins. Administrative controls will prevent future dumping at these locations.
Key Issues
- How should buried waste cells be handled - removal or soil cover?
- What water monitoring is needed after cleanup?
- How to prevent future dumping at decommissioned sites?
Indigenous Consultation
This consultation requires engagement with Indigenous communities under the Crown's duty to consult.