‘It’s astonishing it continues to happen in this day and age,’ says Chief Allan Adam
Oct 02, 2024
Three northern Alberta Indigenous groups say the federal government has kept them in the dark about a contaminated dock site in their community.
The Big Dock, as it’s known in Fort Chipewyan, is owned by Transport Canada.
The dock is used for commercial purposes, but Allan Adam, chief of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, said the hamlet’s residents also use it for “swimming, fishing, hunting, trapping and harvesting.”
Important facility for potential evacuations
The community leaders became aware of the dock’s contamination this summer, after they learned of a report produced by a third-party contractor in 2017.
The dock is important for the community, as it can be used for evacuations during wildfires.