In Our Backyard: Keeyask and the Legacy of Hydroelectric Development

The Keeyask dam and generating station in northern Manitoba will expand the existing network of 15 dams and 13,800 km of transmission lines. In Our Backyard tells the story of the dam and accompanying development from the perspective of Indigenous peoples, academics, scientists, and regulators, and provides a basis for ongoing decision-making and scholarship. It considers cumulative, regional, and strategic impact assessments, Indigenous worldviews and laws, the economics of development, models for monitoring and management, consideration of affected species, and cultural and social impacts.

Format: Hardback
Length: 277 pages
Publication date: 01 April 2022
Publisher: University of Manitoba Press

The impact of hydroelectric development on northern Manitoba has been profound, transforming the social, political, and physical landscape since the construction of the Grand Rapids Dam in the 1960s. The Nelson River, once a mighty and awe-inspiring waterway, has been fragmented and altered by a series of dams, necessitating the diversion of the Churchill River and the creation of new inflow points from Lake Winnipeg to manage their capacity. The once-historic rapids have dwindled into dry river beds, a stark contrast to the natural beauty that once graced this region.

Manitoba Hydro's proposed Keeyask dam and generating station is set to expand the existing network of 15 dams and 13,800 kilometers of transmission lines. While this development promises economic benefits and increased energy production, it raises important questions and concerns. In Our Backyard, a documentary film, tells the story of the Keeyask dam and its accompanying development on the Nelson River from the perspectives of Indigenous peoples, academics, scientists, and regulators.

The film builds on the extensive environmental and economic evaluations conducted during the public hearings on Keeyask in 2012, providing a deeper understanding of the issues at hand. It amplifies the voices of Indigenous peoples who argue that environmental assessment and regulatory processes have often failed to incorporate their perspectives and worldviews. In Our Backyard offers a basis for ongoing decision-making and scholarship related to Keeyask and resource development more broadly, considering cumulative, regional, and strategic impact assessments, Indigenous laws within the regulatory and decision-making process, the economics of development, models for monitoring and management, consideration of affected species, and cultural and social impacts.

In the context of a provincial and federal regulatory regime that grapples with important questions around the balance between development and sustainability, and in light of the inherent rights of Indigenous people to land, livelihoods, and self-determination, In Our Backyard offers critical reflections that highlight the need for purposeful dialogue, principled decision-making, and respect for the rights and livelihoods of Indigenous communities. The film serves as a call to action, urging the broader public to engage in meaningful discussions and to support policies that prioritize the conservation and sustainable development of our natural resources while also recognizing and respecting the rights and dignity of Indigenous peoples.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780887552946