Water is essential to all living things: our communities, watersheds, wildlife, and economy rely on it. But how do we ensure clean and reliable water for future generations?

Residents interested in watershed health are invited to attend the Without Water Symposium on June 5 from 4:30-8 p.m. in Grasmere. Hosted by the Elk River Watershed Collaborative Monitoring Program (The Collaborative), the event looks to publicly discuss the need for better water decision-making in the Elk Valley to keep it plentiful and clean for future generations.

The event will take place on Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation land, and will feature a welcome ceremony, complimentary dinner, and keynote speakers. Afterwards, panelists from diverse groups will discuss their perspectives on water, and address community concerns.

Kyle Shottanana, Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it Councillor who grew up on the reserve, said he has watched the health of the water and land degrade over the years.

“What happens to the children when there is no longer access to the mountain tops, forest, valleys, or the river’s edge?” said Shottanana.

Kat Hartwig is the Executive Director of Living Lakes Canada and serves as the Steering Committee Chair of the Elk River Watershed Collaborative Monitoring Program. Hartwig believes this event will be an important way for diverse groups to come together and find common ground to address water issues collectively.

“It is unlikely anyone will disagree that we need clean, and reliable sources of water,” said Hartwig, “but how we protect our water is a complex issue. In this symposium, we have the opportunity to learn from Indigenous Knowledge holders how to reframe our relationship with water in order to become better water stewards.”

Prior to the public event, invited delegates from Indigenous communities, government bodies, non-profits, scientists, and industry representatives will spend the day portion of the Symposium discussing how available knowledge can improve watershed decision making.

The Without Water Symposium is organized by Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation, Living Lakes Canada, and the Elk River Alliance on behalf of the Collaborative. The Collaborative has hosted two similar events in past years that engaged the Elk Valley community in dialogue around understanding and preserving water quality. With a focus on drought, the 2025 Symposium will continue the momentum of these community-level discussions.

Caitlin Henneker, Program Manager for the Collaborative at Elk River Alliance, says this will be a great stride for the organization.

“I’m really excited to see this event come together,” said Henneker.

“We’ve been engaging with our local Elk Valley community for multiple years and working hard on building a united view of our beautiful watershed from different perspectives. This event is the next step in continuing this process.”

The space has limited capacity with only 50 spots available and registration is mandatory. To attend the public event, please register via the website below.

Register: elkrivercollaborative.ca/without-water

Any questions can be directed to [email protected]

The organizers would like to express gratitude to event funders:  Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it, Real Estate Foundation of BC, Pacific Institute of Climate Solutions, Indigenous Environmental Network, Western Mining Action Network, Steel River Group, Sitka Foundation, Columbia Power, and Fortis BC.

Photo submitted

Elk River Alliance

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