The United States has announced a suspension of Columbia River Treaty Negotiations with Canada concerning the modernization of the Treaty, a pivotal agreement governing flood control, hydroelectric power generation, and water resource management since 1964. This development comes amid escalating trade tensions and recent assertive statements from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Canada.

The Columbia River Treaty, ratified in 1964, facilitated the construction of three dams in British Columbia—Duncan, Mica, and Keenleyside—as well as the Libby Dam in Montana, USA. The treaty has no set end date, but provisions allow either country to terminate the agreement with at least 10 years’ notice, starting from September 2024.

Invitation to Virtual Information Session
In response to these developments, the British Columbia government is organizing a virtual information session to update the public on the status of the Columbia River Treaty modernization process on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Mountain Time.

Participation Details:
• Register for the session here.
• Submit questions in advance by Tuesday, March 18, 2025, to: columbiarivertreaty@gov.bc.ca

Panelists:
• Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions and Minister Responsible for the Columbia River Treaty.
• Brittny Anderson, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kootenay Central.
• Steve Morissette, MLA for Kootenay Monashee.
• Kathy Eichenberger, B.C.’s lead negotiator in the Canadian delegation.similkameenspotlight.com+1coastmountainnews.com+1

This session is part of the B.C. government’s ongoing engagement with Basin First Nations, local governments, and residents regarding the Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) reached between Canada and the U.S. in July 2024. Information about the AIP, including recordings of previous virtual information sessions, is available on the B.C. Columbia River Treaty website.

The provincial government also plans to schedule in-person community meetings in the Columbia Basin. These sessions, initially planned for earlier this year, will be confirmed once there is more clarity about the next steps in modernizing the treaty.

Continued Public Engagement
The B.C. government encourages residents to share comments and questions about the treaty and the AIP by emailing columbiarivertreaty@gov.bc.ca. Materials, recordings, surveys, and guidelines for written feedback about the AIP can be found on the B.C. Columbia River Treaty website.

As the situation evolves, staying informed and engaged is crucial for all stakeholders in the Columbia River Basin.