Natural Disasters Imperil Livelihoods as Fur Traders Prepare for Devastation to Their Dependent Territories

Wildfires in Canada Cause Significant Losses for Indigenous Trappers

The current wildfire season in Canada is shaping up to be one of the worst on record, with over 78,000 square kilometres of land burned, mostly on the Prairies. This disaster has had a particularly severe impact on Indigenous trappers in Manitoba, who rely on the activity for their livelihood and cultural practices.

Ron Spence, a trapper from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation in northern Manitoba, expects "catastrophic losses" to his food and financial security this year due to the wildfires. For many trappers, trapping is their only source of income, with the season typically running from November to May.

Trappers in Manitoba catch a variety of animals, including wolves, fishers, minks, lynxes, beavers, martens, and weasel-like martens, which can net significant amounts of money. However, the fires have caused destruction of infrastructure, equipment, and vehicles like snowmobiles, potentially leading to hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses for some operations, according to Bill Abercrombie, president of the Alberta Trappers Association.

The Manitoba government does not currently provide compensation for losses related to trapping ability or infrastructure on registered traplines. The Alberta Trappers Association offers compensation to its members, but it is not sufficient to cover total losses. Some trappers do not have insurance due to high premium costs.

Grand Chief Garrison Settee, an advocate for some communities in northern Manitoba, would like to see the development of a First Nations disaster financial assistance program to address the unique challenges faced by Indigenous trappers. This program could help alleviate the financial burden caused by natural disasters like wildfires.

Traplines can vary in size, with some accessible by foot and snowshoe and running 25 to 30 square kilometres. Others stretch more than 1,000 square kilometres, with multiple cabins along them. Spence's registered trapline, a "fair size" horseshoe shape, runs between Nelson House and South Indian Lake.

For Spence, the loss many trappers will experience this season is comparable to what farmers experience with natural disasters. Trapping is more than an industry; it's a way of life, a means of gathering medicine, hunting, and participating in land-based learning important to their culture. The impact of the wildfires on traplines in Manitoba is still being determined, but some may be more affected than others. Some furbearer populations are naturally cyclical and have adapted to fire-dependent ecosystems, according to the Manitoba government.

Abercrombie expects it will take a big effort to get into some of the remote areas in the fall and winter, as access is dependent on creeks and lakes freezing up and, in some cases, bridges and groomed trails have burned. Despite the challenges, the resilience of the trapping community remains strong, and they continue to look for ways to rebuild and recover from this devastating wildfire season.