Wahpeton Dakota Nation Traditional Land Use Study: Saskatchewan Power

Wahpeton Dakota Nation Traditional Land Use Study: Saskatchewan Power

SaskPower proposed to construct the Shore Gold Diamond Mine Transmission Line, which included a 230kV transmission line and related infrastructure in the Fort à la Corne Forest, located near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and within Wahpeton Dakota Nation Traditional Territory. Kwusen completed a traditional land use (TLU) study, which documented: past, present, and prospective site specific and non site specific traditional use values of the Wahpeton Dakota Nation (WDN) in the local study area (LSA); assisted WDN in assessing potential Project related impacts on those land use values, rights, title, and interests; recommended appropriate mitigation measures, assessed potential related residual effects; and built capacity within the WDN community to conduct TLUS and maintain a WDN land use inventory.

The study was based on 12 interviews with WDN members and a review of publicly available land use information relevant to the LSA. The findings were concluded in a report. The LSA for the TLU study was defined as an area comprising all four of the proposed transmission line routes with a five (5) kilometer buffer on each route. Results from the community interviews indicate numerous past, present and/or prospective traditional use values associated with the LSA. Forty-two (42) traditional use values were noted within the LSA, drawn from community interviews.