2024 Activities Report Highlights Water Quality and Indigenous Collaboration

The IJC published its 2024 Activities Report in September, detailing the work of the Commission across more than 5,000 miles (nearly 9,000 kilometers) of border between Canada and the United States.

Water quality was a major theme in the IJC’s activities that year. The two federal governments issued a reference that tasked the IJC with establishing an independent study board to investigate and report on the impacts of water pollution in the transboundary Elk-Kootenai/y Rivers basin. The IJC also serves as secretariat to a governance body consisting of state, provincial, Indigenous and federal government representatives that is working to reduce and mitigate the impacts of water pollution in the basin.

While the Elk-Kootenai/y River reference stresses the inclusion of Indigenous governments and communities in all aspects of the study, the IJC also established the Indigenous Circle (the Circle) in October 2024. The Circle is a group of traditional knowledge holders and experts in the realm of water stewardship from Indigenous nations that meet with IJC Commissioners to share knowledge and ideas on enhancing IJC collaboration with Indigenous peoples. The Circle and IJC are seeking ways of working together in areas of mutual interest in transboundary watersheds. 

Commissioners and staff also met with members of the Garden River First Nation in July for a focused discussion on water issues and collaboration in the region, where the IJC has responsibilities under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and through its Lake Superior Board of Control. Separately, the Great Lakes Water Quality Board and Science Advisory Board held engagement sessions and workshops with Great Lakes First Nations, Métis and Tribal communities beginning in the fall.

Additionally, the IJC formed the Poplar River-Big Muddy Creek Task Force in 2024, which is investigating any gaps that may exist between current activities in those watersheds compared to those required under the IJC’s 1948 Reference from governments. An ongoing study looking at water apportionment processes in the watersheds for the St. Mary and Milk Rivers continued, with a final report expected in the summer of 2026. The Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board also concluded a study to update its water quality objectives, while the Red River Watershed Board continued a fish telemetry study that concluded in 2025.

The 2024 Annual Activities Report features a full account of all the IJC’s activities. The 2024 report, as well as many older ones, can be found on the IJC’s website here.