Indigenous communities warn of oilsands camp moratorium consequences

Two Indigenous communities in the Fort McMurray regionare expressing their concernsabout theoilsandscampmoratoriumthat was unanimously supported by the region's municipal councillors Monday evening.

One of their concerns with the moratoriumisthe potentially harmful effect it may have onIndigenous communities and theirbusinesses.

"Just from a purely revenue perspective, it's going to be a huge impact on us," said Ron Quintal, president of the McKay Mtiscommunity.

Quintal said about 25 members are employed withoilsandscamps around the community of FortMcKay, a rural hamlet north of FortMcMurray.

"It's definitely going to have an impacton revenue. We're hoping we can push for amendments," Quintal said."The fact is our community is involved in one way or another with camps."

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On Monday,councillorsfrom the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo voted to support limiting the permit approvalsand camp renewalswithin 75 kilometresof FortMcMurray.

Councillorspushed for some exceptions for camps housing workers who are doing one-time jobs and won't have work after a couple of weeks.

In a letter read during this week'scouncil meeting, MikisewCree First Nation Chief ArchieWaquansaid thecommunity opposed the moratorium.

Heis worried about the impact on his FortChipewyan-basedband.

"The Mikisew Cree do not support this idea. We feel that more discussions with First Nations that have an interest, especially Mikisew First Nation, needs to take place regarding this issue," he said in the statement read tocouncil.

According to the municipality, as of the 2018 census, the moratorium could impact 65 camps and about 27,000 workers.

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The municipality also estimates 11oilsandscompanies have siteswithin the moratorium's radius.

Full authority

Premier Rachel Notley, in Calgary Wednesday for an LRT funding announcement, said the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo councilhad full jurisdiction to impose a moratorium.

'I'm not going to weigh in'

5 years ago

Duration 0:55

In Calgary, Rachel Notley says that the work camp moratorium close to Fort McMurray is 'a decision of that municipal council.'

Notleysupports a community's right to impose a moratorium, she said in response to aquestion, buthopes the municipality fully understands what it's doing.

"I think it is important for them to dig in really hard and make sure all the consequences, intended and unintended, are fully canvassed," Notley said. "But I am not going to weigh in."

Connect with David Thurton, CBC'sFort McMurraycorrespondent, onFacebook,Twitter,LinkedInor email him atdavid.thurton@cbc.ca