Communities in the Elk-Kootenai/y watershed will wait longer for findings on transboundary water pollution after an extension was granted to a cross-border study board.
On March 8, 2024, the governments of Canada and the United States asked the International Joint Commission, under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909, to examine the impacts of pollution in the watershed. The request, developed in partnership with the Ktunaxa Nation, included the creation of a study board to assess water quality and ecosystem health.
That board, the International Elk-Kootenai/y Watershed Study Board, has now been given more time to complete its work, pushing back the delivery of recommendations that could shape future protections for communities, Indigenous nations and industries that rely on the watershed.
The extension allows the board and its technical working groups to complete a comprehensive review of water quality and ecosystem conditions. Officials said delays were linked to time lost during U.S. federal government disruptions and labour action in British Columbia in late 2025.
For communities in southeastern British Columbia and downstream in the United States, the delay means continued uncertainty around the long-term impacts of water pollution, including potential risks to drinking water, fisheries and local economies.
The study board is now expected to submit its final report to the commission on Dec. 9, 2026. In the meantime, residents will have opportunities to participate through public events and a consultation period on the draft findings.
The commission will review the report and hold additional public hearings in the basin before issuing its final recommendations to both governments — a step that could influence future environmental protections and cross-border water management.
