Clean-up efforts to resume at James Smith Cree Nation
After a five-month long ordeal regarding clean-up on the James Smith Cree Nation (JSCN), things may start looking up for the community.
In August of last year, residents first started noticing foam and an oily substance in the portion of the Saskatchewan River which runs through their territory. After months of meetings, Husky Energy agreed to clean-up the riverbanks and water in James Smith.
Once a Shoreline Clean-up Assessment Team (SCAT) used two oil-sniffing dogs to identify the oil, some cleaning activities began on James Smith lands. All activity was originally halted in November and the Cree Nation was left with 27 piles of logs contaminated with oil.
Now, according to Alvin Moostoos, the councillor responsible for lands in the JSCN, Husky has come back to the discussion table after months of silence.