Ktunaxa Nation statement on CRT ‘pause’

Amid the U.S. ‘pause’ on the Columbia River Treaty modernization,
the Nation looks to work that has been done and the necessity for a finalized treaty

March 19, 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cranbrook, B.C. Despite the United States pausing its participation in talks for a modernized Columbia River Treaty, the Ktunaxa Nation continues to work in good faith with the governments of British Columbia and Canada on domestic matters related to the treaty negotiations.

“We remain committed to ensuring the CRT is updated to address our rights and will continue to work with our First Nations partners, B.C. and Canada to improve the treaty,” said Kathryn Teneese, Ktunaxa Nation Council Chair.

“It was good to reach an agreement in principle last July. The reality is that both countries—and all parties—need a modernized treaty, whether it happens sooner or later.”

The Ktunaxa Nation homelands are at the headwaters of the Columbia River.

The agreement in principle (AIP), which was signed by both Canada and the United States, is not a new treaty. It is a map to get to a new treaty and represents years of technical input and negotiation. The AIP outlines key elements of a modernized treaty, such as ecosystem health, salmon restoration to the upper Columbia River, reduced water-level fluctuations in reservoirs, and better control over river flows.

The AIP also recommends an Indigenous/tribal advisory body and a transboundary working group.

“A modernized treaty would recognize and honour Ktunaxa rights and title as stewards at the Columbia Headwaters,” Teneese said. “The current pause in the treaty’s renegotiation provides our Nation with a critical opportunity to advance domestic discussions and address longstanding grievances stemming from the treaty’s historic impacts.”

When the current treaty was established in 1964, Ktunaxa were not consulted, nor were any other Indigenous nations. Long term environmental effects weren’t fully factored in, and the proliferation of dams and flooding of former habitat negatively impacted lands, waters and cultural heritage in ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa, the Ktunaxa homelands.

In addition to its involvement in the treaty modernization, the Ktunaxa Nation is a proud partner in the Columbia River Salmon Reintroduction Initiative (CRSRI).

“Salmon was a cornerstone of Ktunaxa diet and culture,” Teneese said. “Dam construction severed this connection, resulting in a deep cultural and ecological loss that goes beyond the treaty itself. We have been working collaboratively for years to seek redress for the damage caused by these historic projects.”

“We are at a pivotal moment where we can address the historical injustices caused by the Columbia River Treaty and contribute to a modernized treaty that enhances ecosystems and the power infrastructure that depends on these ecosystems. We look forward to a finalized agreement,” Teneese said.

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