The Alberta section of the North Saskatchewan River has now been designated as a Canadian Heritage River.

On Sept. 12, a celebration was held at the Victoria District National Historic Site in Smoky Lake County to unveil new Canadian Heritage Rivers System plaques commemorating the designation.

The North Saskatchewan River flows within the North Saskatchewan watershed across central Alberta and into Saskatchewan. 

The river travels 1,287 kilometers (km) from its origin in the Columbia Icefield in the Rocky Mountains of western Alberta to the ‘Forks’ within the province of Saskatchewan. 

This route transects four of Alberta’s six natural regions: Rocky Mountains, Foothills, Boreal Forest, and Parkland.

The flags of Treaty 6 and the Otipemisiwak Métis Nation in Alberta were also installed and raised to commemorate the occasion.

The North Saskatchewan River is a traditional gathering place, travel route, and home to Indigenous peoples including the nêhiyawak (Cree), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Ktunaxa, Métis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibwe, Saulteaux, Anishinaabe, Inuit, and Assiniboine.

“Congratulations to everyone involved in the designation of this section of the North Saskatchewan River as a Canadian Heritage River,” says Steven Guilbeault, federal minister of environment and climate change. “With this designation and with the installation of these new plaques, people from near and far will be able to learn more about this magnificent river’s contributions to Canada, both historic and contemporary.”

For centuries, the river was a transportation and trade route, first for Indigenous peoples, then settlers and explorers coming from the east to the Rocky Mountains and to the west coast.

It played a pivotal role in the fur trade, early scientific expeditions, human settlement patterns and agriculture.

Today, the river continues to provide an important source of drinking water, habitat for plant and animal species, and support for the tourism and recreation industries.

The North Saskatchewan River is the second river in Alberta outside of a national park to be recognized in the Canadian Heritage Rivers System. The first was the Clearwater/Christina rivers near Fort McMurray, which were designated in 2003.

There are currently 42 rivers or river segments designated under the Canadian Heritage Rivers System, totaling just over 10,000 km across the country.

A 49 km segment of the North Saskatchewan River within Banff National Park was designated as a Canadian Heritage River in 1989.

The final remaining 718 km section of the North Saskatchewan River within Alberta was initially nominated by Smoky Lake County in 2019 for its outstanding cultural and recreational values.

The designation was accepted and officially announced on World Water Day, March 22, 2024.

“The North Saskatchewan River is, and always will be, a vital part of Alberta,” says Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas for the Government of Alberta. “Many municipalities and Indigenous communities requested this designation as they have a long and deep relationship with this beautiful river and our growing province relies on it for drinking water, a dynamic ecosystem, and many recreational and tourism opportunities.

The Canadian Heritage Rivers System is a collaboration between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. It gives national recognition to Canada’s outstanding rivers and encourages long-term stewardship of their natural, cultural, and recreational values for the benefit and enjoyment of Canadians, now and in the future.