The Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124 is continuing a years-long effort to officially take over the Canyon Creek Harbour, carefully navigating a web of provincial bureaucracy and federal funding windows to secure the community asset.

At the May 20 Committee of the Whole meeting, Chantal Larochelle from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Small Craft Harbours branch appeared virtually as a delegation to deliver a highly anticipated update on the harbour’s transfer process.
For local representatives, securing the facility is about preserving a vital piece of the region’s identity.

“This harbour has been integral for many generations of my family,” said Councillor Brad Pearson during the meeting. “Hopefully, it continues in the generations of the municipality.”

According to an administration report presented to the council, the original provincial recreational lease held by the Canyon Creek Harbour Authority expired in 2016. While that lease was officially transferred to the M.D. effective Sept. 3, 2021, the actual land is currently being held as a disposition reservation by Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors.

During her presentation, Larochelle said the harbour lease currently remains in a “Hold Over” status, which maintains the agreement as it was originally written.

She explained that the federal government’s intention is to maintain this current agreement until a formal divestiture plan is fully developed and executed.

Larochelle brought welcome news to the council table, confirming that the federal government has regained the legislative ability to transfer the property for practically nothing.

“We lost our authorities to divest at a nominal value,” Larochelle said, referring to past political shifts.

“Since then, we’ve received our divestiture authorities. They return to us, we can go back to divesting at nominal value.”

The M.D. has been working toward finalizing this specific type of transfer for years. Historical motions included in the May 20 agenda package show that in 2021, the M.D. passed a motion to purchase and assume ownership of the Small Craft Harbour on an “as is” basis for the sum of exactly one dollar.

At that time, council also passed a motion guaranteeing the harbour would remain safe and accessible to the public for a minimum of five years from the time of the transfer. Furthermore, the report says the M.D. successfully secured a rehabilitation grant for the Canyon Creek project worth $539,000.

However, the municipality has intentionally delayed taking full ownership until the federal government completes necessary infrastructure upgrades.

Pearson noted that other municipalities have previously taken on aging harbours and quickly burned through their funding just trying to navigate environmental permits.

By waiting for the DFO to repair the harbour first, the M.D. hopes to inherit a clean, functional asset.

Larochelle confirmed that the DFO is prepared to foot that bill, but the clock is ticking.

“We just got an influx of funding, and that funding is limited to five years,” Larochelle said. She added that she hopes to have a formal engineering investigation contracted by the end of this calendar year to assess the necessary repairs.

Despite the positive federal update, finalizing the physical land transfer still requires navigating complex provincial regulations.

Administration says they have been in contact with Alberta Forestry and Parks regarding the disposition reservation.
Provincial officials advised the M.D. that transferring the disposition is an extensive process that requires an Order in Council. Because of this high-level governmental requirement, administration says the timeline is not immediate. Estimates suggest the earliest approval could arrive in November, though it could take much longer depending on the approvals required.

To speed up the process, administration says the province is considering adjusting the property boundary slightly.

If feasible, this would ensure the harbour buildings fall fully within the recreational lease site, which could provide a faster solution than a full disposition transfer.

While the funding window is open, municipal administration urged the council to act prudently but quickly.

“I get nervous when provincial or federal governments say we have five years funding,” said M.D. Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Gannon. “I know what the reality sometimes is on that means.”

Council officially received the delegation and the harbour report as information. Administration will now return to council at a later date with a finalized timeline, a risk assessment, operational costs, and the required approvals to formalize the future of the Canyon Creek Harbour.

Armaan Khanna
Local Journalism Initiative
Reporter