Changes due to COVID-19

Indigenous communities experiencing challenges due to COVID-19 can apply for a consultation timeline extension. The Aboriginal Consultation Office can grant consultation timeline extensions while Alberta’s public health order remains in effect. To apply, contact your assigned consultation advisor at the Aboriginal Consultation Office.

Industry proponents are encouraged to discuss and provide support to Indigenous communities with technology solutions while away from their offices, if possible.

If a consultation timeline extension request is approved, it will be applied as follows:

Table 1. Consultation extensions

All timeline days are Alberta government working days.
Level of Consultation Current timeline Total timeline with extension
Level 1
Respond to Project Notification		 15 days 20 days
Level 1
Record of Consultation review		 5 days 10 days
Level 2
Respond to Project Notification		 15 days 20 days
Level 2
Record of Consultation review		 5 days 10 days
Level 3
Respond to Project Notification		 20 days 30 days
Level 3
Record of Consultation review		 10 days 15 days

When a consultation timeline extension is granted and consultation has already been initiated, all procedural aspects of consultation must be complete, including the ROC review period, in order for standard timelines to apply. If the procedural aspects of consultation are not complete, proponents are required to follow the modified timeline extension as described in Table 1. Consultation extensions.

Consultation timeline paused

All Consultation Timelines and Consultation Adequacy Decisions associated with ‘The Government of Alberta’s Guidelines on Consultation with First Nations on Land and Natural Resource Management’ and ‘The Government of Alberta’s Guidelines on Consultation with Metis Settlements on Land and Natural Resource Management’ are paused for the First Nations and Metis Settlements listed below.

We will reassess in 2 weeks and post updates accordingly.

For proposed projects where all procedural aspects of consultation were completed prior to initiation of a consultation pause, proponents may proceed with submitting records to the Aboriginal Consultation Office for an adequacy review. Note that any additional consultation required as directed in an ‘Adequacy Review Information Request’ may be subject to a consultation pause, as per the listing on this page.

Table 2. First Nations and Metis Settlements

*Most recent update
First Nations and Metis Settlements Consultation Timeline Pause Reinstatement of Consultation Timeline Following Pause Timeline Extension Initiated Reinstatement of Consultation Timeline Following Extension
Aseniwuche Winewak Nation March 26, 2020 April 21, 2020 May 1, 2020 To be determined
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation March 23, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
April 30, 2020 May 15, 2020 May 15, 2020 May 19, 2020
May 19, 2020 June 16, 2020 June 16, 2020 To be determined
Bigstone Cree Nation April 15, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Blood Tribe March 23, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement March 27, 2020 April 9, 2020 N/A  
June 10, 2020 June 26, 2020    
Chipewyan Prairie First Nation March 24, 2020 April 21, 2020 April 22, 2020 July 3, 2020
July 3, 2020 To be determined    
Elizabeth Metis Settlement March 30, 2020 April 16, 2020 N/A  
Enoch Cree Nation #440 April 9, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Fort McKay First Nation March 24, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
April 30, 2020 May 15, 2020 May 15, 2020 To be determined
Frog Lake First Nation March 25, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Gift Lake Metis Settlement March 25, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Horse Lake First Nation March 23, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Kapawe'no First Nation March 23, 2020 April 21, 2020 June 10, 2020 To be determined
Little Red River Cree Nation March 30, 2020 April 21, 2020 April 23, 2020 To be determined
Louis Bull Tribe March 25, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Lubicon Lake Band March 30, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Mikisew Cree First Nation March 24, 2020 April 21, 2020    
April 29, 2020 May 14, 2020 May 14, 2020 May 19, 2020
May 19, 2020 June 16, 2020 June 16, 2020 To be determined
O’Chiese First Nation March 25, 2020 April 21, 2020 April 29, 2020 To be determined
Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement N/A N/A April 23, 2020 To be determined
Paul First Nation March 23, 2020 April 21, 2020 June 3, 2020 To be determined
Peerless Trout First Nation March 23, 2020 April 21, 2020 April 23, 2020 June 2, 2020
Siksika Nation March 23, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Stoney (Bearspaw) Band March 25, 2020 April 21, 2020 April 23, 2020 To be determined
Stoney (Chiniki) Band March 25, 2020 April 21, 2020 April 23, 2020 To be determined
Stoney (Wesley) Band March 25, 2020 April 21, 2020 April 23, 2020 To be determined
Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation March 23, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Sucker Creek First Nation March 23, 2020 April 21, 2020 April 23, 2020 April 28, 2020
April 28, 2020 June 1, 2020    
Sunchild First Nation N/A N/A May 4, 2020 July 6, 2020*
Swan River First Nation April 1, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Whitefish Lake First Nation March 24, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  
Woodland Cree First Nation March 24, 2020 April 21, 2020 N/A  

For more information, visit COVID-19 info for Albertans.

Indigenous contacts

First Nations and Metis Settlements consultation contacts: