Memorandum of Understanding provides a framework to assess the feasibility of establishing an Indigenous protected and conserved area in northern Manitoba

January 18, 2024                       Winnipeg, Manitoba                            Parks Canada

The Boreal Forest of northern Manitoba, with its rich and varied ecosystems and watersheds, is vital to the multitude of species that rely on it to thrive.

Today, representatives from the Seal River Watershed Alliance, Indigenous nations, the Government of Canada, and the Manitoba Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formally work together on a feasibility assessment to establish a potential Indigenous protected and conserved area and possible national park reserve in the Seal River Watershed.

Located in northern Manitoba, the 50,000 km² Seal River Watershed is one of the largest remaining ecologically intact watersheds in the world. Portions of the watershed are currently protected by three Manitoba wilderness parks and an ecological reserve but protecting it in its entirety with this proposed Indigenous protected and conserved area would ensure its long-term wellbeing and longevity. It would also contribute approximately 0.4 per cent or 42,808 km² to the Government of Canada’s goal of protecting 30 per cent of lands and waters in Canada by 2030. That’s an area roughly the size of Denmark.

The Seal River still flows freely into Hudson Bay, unhindered by dams and industrial development, and the region is home to beluga whales and at least 25 known species at risk including wolverines, polar and grizzly bears, barren-ground caribou, and olive-sided flycatchers. Large numbers of harbour seals can be found as far as 200 kilometers inland from the mouth of the Seal River, giving the river its name.

The Seal River Watershed is the ancestral territory of many Indigenous nations and communities, including the Sayisi Dene First Nation, Northlands Denesuline First Nation, Barren Lands First Nation, and O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation. Together, these four First Nations comprise the Seal River Watershed Alliance. Their members have extensive knowledge of the lands and waters in this area. Traditional Knowledge, coupled with science, will be used as the foundation for the feasibility assessment of the potential Indigenous protected and conserved area.

At the December 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference, the governments of Canada and Manitoba joined the Seal River Watershed Alliance in announcing their intentions to work together to explore the feasibility of an Indigenous protected and conserved area in the Seal River Watershed. The MOU signed today formalizes that commitment, clearly outlines the next steps, and provides a framework for advanced collaboration on the feasibility assessment.  The feasibility assessment will explore the possibility of establishing an Indigenous protected and conserved area, potentially including a national park reserve. This will involve a public engagement process to seek input from individuals and organizations.  In addition, the MOU provides the feasibility assessment study area with temporary protection from mineral exploration and staking, to help gain a better understanding of the area’s geological attributes.

Working together, the Seal River Watershed Alliance and the Governments of Canada and Manitoba are taking action to assess and protect this iconic natural and cultural landscape for future generations.

A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding can be found on the Seal River Watershed Alliance’s webpage.

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