A massive river in Alberta just earned a fancy designation

It’s a river many people in Alberta have visited, and it’s now been given full designation in the Canadian Heritage Rivers System.

On Friday, the federal government, along with the Province, announced the official designation of the remaining 718-kilometre section of the North Saskatchewan River in Alberta as a Canadian Heritage River.

The designation has vaulted the entire section of the river in Alberta, including the previously designated 49-kilometre section that runs through Banff National Park, which is recognized under the Canadian Heritage Rivers System.

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This 700+ kilometre section of the North Saskatchewan River was nominated in 2022 by the proponent, Smoky Lake County, for its outstanding cultural and recreational values.

“With this designation, the iconic North Saskatchewan River will finally receive the recognition it so deserves,” said Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, in a news release.

“Being designated as a Canadian Heritage River is extremely fitting as this waterway has been instrumental in the development of Canada over the last centuries as a main transportation and trade route and as an extremely important cultural and historic site to the many Indigenous nations in the area.”

 

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The North Saskatchewan River flows within the North Saskatchewan watershed across central Alberta and into Saskatchewan. The river travels 1,287 kilometres from its origin in the Columbia Icefield in the Rocky Mountains of western Alberta to the “Forks” within the province of Saskatchewan.

The federal government added that besides the Clearwater/Christina rivers near Fort McMurray, which were designated in 2003, the North Saskatchewan is the second river in Alberta outside of a national park to be recognized under the program.

There are currently 41 rivers or river segments designated under the Canadian Heritage Rivers System, totalling just over 10,000 kilometres across the country.

So, there you have it. Not only is it one of the best rivers for fishing in Canada, but it has also been bestowed with a prestigious designation. We love to see it!