Six derelict barges have been removed from Kátł’odeeche First Nation land after the territorial government had them towed with two tugboats over the summer.
The two governments issued a joint news release on Monday stating that the Government of the Northwest Territories finally removed the crafts after they had drifted to shore during a flood in 2008.
photo courtesy of the GNWT Department of Infrastructure
The boats, which have long been an eyesore in the area, had become property of the GNWT-owned Marine Transportation Services (MTS ) following the bankruptcy of the Northern Transportation Company Limited.
The news release states that MTS had been able to access the crafts this year because of the higher than usual water levels on Great Slave Lake between June 17 and August 21.
The first two barges were removed in June and July.
Diane Archie, minister of infrastructure, said in a statement that the GNWT has been aiming to work with the Indigenous government and clean up the area to make it suitable for recreational and traditional uses.
“While our priority for Marine Transportation Services (MTS) is to deliver essential cargo reliably and affordably, we are also committed to operating an environmentally responsible and sustainable business," Archie stated. "Since the launch of MTS in 2017, great efforts have been undertaken to clean up derelict and legacy scrap material at properties used by previous marine operators. The GNWT thanks the Kátł’odeeche Fırst Natıon for their partnership and we look forward to future opportunities to collaborate.”
The GNWT states that some of the barges are likely to be scrapped or sold or repurposed.
April Martel, Chief of the Kátł’odeeche Fırst Natıon, said in a statement that the removal of the boats allows her people to resume greater control of the lands and waters and contributes to a working partnership to preserve the environmental stewardship for future generations.
“The Kátł’odeeche First Nation is proud to reassume control of our Lands and Resources including all matters related to our environment," she stated. "As Dene people, it is our inherent right and responsibility to ensure that our environment is sustainable for our future generations. We are very pleased to work collaboratively with MTS on the removal of several barges that have been on our lands for decades and for the reclamation of the lands and waters from where they were parked. The collaborative effort between MTS and our Nation will ensure that our lands and waters get restored to their natural state.”