Some northern trappers are getting letters from the Ministry of Environment, threatening to remove their cabin, deeming it unauthorized.
These cabins are being declared “trespass cabins” as they are located on Crown land without authorization, claims the government.
One Pinehouse trapper received a letter stating his cabin was causing conflict with other existing land users.
“The location of your cabin is causing conflict with existing land users who have a right to use the land. Trapping does not give exclusive right to an area. The opportunity to build in another location approved by the ministry still exists,” The letter said.
“You are hereby being issued a Minister’s Order to remove the cabin from the current location and return the site to original condition prior to the construction of the cabin. If you fail to comply with the order, the cabin will be removed under Ministry of Environment’s authority.”
Yet one trapper from La Ronge and the northern director for the Saskatchewan Trappers Association said this dispute has been simmering for decades.
“Over the years, you have to sympathize with the people who’ve had their trap line clear cut. Over the years it’s fallen on deaf ears, the government didn’t deal with it,” explained Mark Studer.
Athabasca MLA Buckley Belanger said he’s attended many meetings, where northern trappers are frustrated with the situation. “I respectfully ask that a moratorium be declared stopping all action against so-called “trespass cabins” until a comprehensive plan is developed to govern traditional land use cabins in Northern Saskatchewan,” a letter from Belanger to Environment Minister Dustin Duncan stated.
“Trespass cabins are those structures built on Crown land without any authorization. The ministry works with the owners of these cabins to bring them into compliance, if possible. Compliance actions, such as notices of seizure and removal of trespass structures, are undertaken in a small number of cases only after such efforts have been unsuccessful,” said the Environment Ministry in a statement.
“Appropriate land dispositions are available from the ministry, free of charge, to construct and use cabins for trapping and other traditional uses.”