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On September 20th, 2023, we had the honour of presenting the 2023 Canadian River Stewardship Award to two amazing individuals, Peter Labor and Molly Demma. This award is presented every three years to individuals or organizations who have made a significant contribution to the stewardship of a Canadian Heritage River or to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System program as a whole. In this article, we highlight the contributions of Peter Labor to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System.

Pimachiowin Aki UNESCO World Heritage site is a 29,040 square kilometre area straddling the east side of Manitoba and west side of Ontario. Meaning “The Land That Gives Life,” Pimachiowin Aki encompasses the traditional lands of four Anishinaabeg communities: Bloodvein River, Little Grand Rapids, Pauingassi and Poplar River, and includes the Bloodvein Canadian Heritage River. Melba Green is the Guardian for Bloodvein River First Nation, and the following is a summary of a conversation she had with Manitoba Parks about her work.

The Canadian Heritage Rivers Systems (CHRS) includes 40 rivers spanning 11,000 km from coast to coast to coast. Without the dedication of extraordinary individuals, we would not be able to recognize, celebrate, and conserve these rivers. The Canadian River Stewardship Award is presented every three years to individuals or organizations who have made a significant contribution to the stewardship of a Canadian Heritage River or to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System program.

This is the second instalment of the Canadian Heritage River System’s invasive species series. This series will include deep dives into specific invasive species that are found in Canada’s water systems and information on how you can help keep our rivers healthy!

Rivers are important to Canada and Canadians. The Canadian River Stewardship Award celebrates the invaluable contributions that Canadians are making to highlight the significance of rivers and their role in our past, present, and future. Do you know a river champion who accomplished something amazing between 2020-2023? Nominate them today!

An invasive species is an organism not native to a region that may out-compete native species for available resources such as food and space. An aquatic invasive species, or AIS, can live in freshwater or marine environments. To prevent the spread of AIS, all water-users should clean, drain and dry watercraft and equipment before launching or moving.

The Canadian Heritage Rivers System depends on the passionate and dedicated service of Canadians to work as voices for stewardship and to foster interest in the stories of Canada’s rivers. Like the steadiness of a shoreline and with the tenaciousness of a river’s constant movement, Molly Demma has served New Brunswickers and Canadians for the past 19 years.

The Wolastopq | St. John River was traditionally travelled and navigated by steamboat. The St. John River Society recently received funding from the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) to fix wharves along the St. John River, securing the wharves and river access for another generation.

The species of bull trout, which were once widespread and abundant across western and northern Canada, are now in decline. As part of a long-term recovery strategy, significant parts of the North Saskatchewan River in Banff National Park are now officially designated as critical habitat for bull trout based on features that are all essential to sustaining bull trout populations at all life stages.

After years of discussion, in August 2022, the nomination of the North Saskatchewan River in Alberta was announced and paves the way to achieve the long sought-after heritage designation. The North Saskatchewan River reflects the qualities the Canadian Heritage River System hold and the Heritage River status will connect diverse partners and serve towards the implementation of a long-term vision for river management.