Updated: April 22, 2022
On April 8, 2022, the Government of Alberta released sub-regional caribou recovery plans for the Bitscho Lake and Cold Lake sub-regions. Environmental groups are concerned that the plans lack a commitment to aggressive short-term actions that are necessary due to decades of inaction. There has also been criticism of the government's commitment to collaboration with Indigenous communities on Indigenous-led conservation initiatives.
- Media Release Alberta’s new caribou range plans miss the mark on Indigenous-led conservation and fail to effectively protect habitat (CPAWS Northern Alberta)
- Media Release Alberta’s First Caribou Range Plans: A Promising Land-Use System That Needs Stronger ‘Decade 1’ Indigenous Rights and Habitat Actions (Alberta Wilderness Association)
- News Alberta's 1st caribou recovery plans not enough to protect species habitat, conservationists say (CBC News)
- News Alberta releases recovery plans for 2 threatened caribou herds (Global News/Canadian Press)
More information and Resources
- Caribou & You (CPAWS Northern Alberta)
- AWA Caribou Issues Page (Alberta Wilderness Association)
Previous Updates
Updated: May 31, 2021
On March 29, 2021, the Government of Alberta released two draft sub-regional caribou recovery plans for the Cold Lake and Bistcho Lake caribou ranges for public comment and feedback.
- Media Release Alberta unveils two new land use plans to achieve caribou recovery (CPAWS Northern Alberta)
- Media Release Northwest Alberta’s Bistcho Lake Draft Caribou Sub-Regional Plan Released (Alberta Wilderness Association)
- Action Alert Help Cold Lake Caribou in NE Alberta (Alberta Wilderness Association)
- Action Alert Help Bitscho Lake Caribou in NW Alberta (Alberta Wilderness Association)
- Submission AWA Comments: Cold Lake Draft Sub-regional Plan (Alberta Wilderness Association)
Updated: November 11, 2020
On October 23, the governments of Canada and Alberta announced that they had reached an agreement for the conservation and recovery of Woodland Caribou in Alberta. The agreement follows years of pressure from First Nations and environmental groups including a 2019 lawsuit calling on the courts to compel the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to recommend a safety net order to protect boreal caribou habitat. While recognizing the agreement as a necessary first step, environmental organizations remain concerned, particularly that the timelines contained within the agreement are not fast enough to protect threatened herds.
- Media Release First Nations, Environmental Groups Call on Alberta and Canada to Implement Immediate Actions to Protect Boreal Caribou (Alberta Wilderness Association, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Mikisew Cree First Nation, David Suzuki Foundation and Ecojustice)
- Media Release Conservation Agreement signed between Alberta and Canada for declining woodland caribou across the province (CPAWS Northern Alberta)
- Analysis Canada and Alberta Agree to More Pie-In-The-Sky on Woodland Caribou (Shaun Fluker, ABLawg)