Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation - Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and the Government of Ontario
On October 12, 2022, Chief Lorraine Cobiness of Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation; the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations; and the Honourable Greg Rickford, Ontario Minister of Indigenous Affairs, announced the successful tripartite settlement agreement between Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation, the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario regarding Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation's flooding claim. The settlement provided Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation with $83,082,612 in total compensation, with Canada paying $63,243,003 and Ontario paying $19,839,609.
With the successful conclusion of the settlement agreement, the Honourable Marc Miller and the Honourable Greg Rickford apologized on behalf of the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario to Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation for their respective government's role in flooding Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation reserve lands.
Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation submitted a claim to Ontario on December 2, 2000, and to Canada on January 2, 2001, alleging unauthorized construction and operation of the Rollerway Dam (built in 1887, removed in 1899) and the Norman Dam (built in or around 1895, reconstructed in 1924), and consequent changes in water levels on the Winnipeg River, resulting in the flooding of portions of the Reserve from 1887 to the present without proper authorization or payment of compensation.
The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario will continue to work alongside Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation to build and renew our relationships for all generations.
