The W8banaki Nation is calling on the Government of Québec to impose an immediate moratorium on cranberry farm development projects on the Ndakina. The Nation denounces the inadequacy of the current ministerial authorization system, which leads to the destruction of vital natural environments and threatens the exercise of its ancestral and treaty rights.
Since 2021, the Ndakina Office of W8banaki has been consulted on at least 25 projects involving the creation or expansion of cranberry farms, representing the destruction of more than 805 hectares of wetlands with no compensation. Furthermore, the water consumption of these operations – most of which are located within the Bécancour River watershed – exceeds the river’s capacity near the Abenaki community of Wôlinak.
These projects, combined with the effects of climate change, large-scale land privatization, and water contamination, are severely weakening ecosystems and the Nation’s ability to fulfill its stewardship responsibilities over its ancestral territory.
A call for sustainable and collaborative solutions
The W8banaki Nation denounces the inadequate regulatory framework of the ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs. (MELCCFP). The current authorization system allows cranberry farms to expand by destroying wetlands without considering the cumulative effects on water, wildlife, and territory, nor requiring compensation for the damage – an approach that promotes the loss of the Ndakina rather than its protection.
The W8banaki Nation reaffirms its commitment to working in collaboration with the government, producers, and local stakeholders to find sustainable solutions that support environmentally responsible development and respect for Indigenous rights.
In this context, the Nation is calling for:
- An immediate moratorium on ministerial authorizations related to cranberry farm projects.
- The launch of a generic BAPE (Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement) mandate on this type of development.
- Funding for Nation-led studies to better document environmental impacts.
- The re-evaluation of ministerial authorizations issued or pending since 2025.
The W8banaki Nation wishes to acknowledge the contribution of cranberry producers to regional development. However, it believes that producers must operate within a fair and sustainable regulatory framework that protects both the environment and the rights of First Nations.
Quotes
“Our responsibility to the Ndakina is not limited to the present; it extends to future generations. Every wetland, every river, every ecosystem we protect today ensures that our children and grandchildren can continue to exercise their ancestral rights and live in harmony in their territory.” – Chief Richard O’Bomsawin, the Abenaki Council of Odanak
“It is time for the government to revise its regulatory framework in an inclusive and transparent manner. Our ecosystems and our culture depend on responsible decisions.” – Chief Michel R. Bernard, the Abenaki Council of Wôlinak