New Tsuut’ina Nation fence

The Tsuut’ina Nation is building fencing along a portion of the northern border of the Nation’s land extending from Rocky View County to Stoney Trail S.W. beginning January 2022. The fence will run along Griffith Woods Park’s southern boundary.

In preparation for fence construction, the Nation has been working closely with The City of Calgary, the Ward 6 Councillor office, and the Discovery Ridge Community Association to ensure minimal disturbance within the community and to local wildlife.

Tsuut'ina Nation Fence

Why is fencing needed?

From the early-to mid-1900s, the Canadian Military used a portion of the Tsuut’ina Nation lands as a firing range as well as for training exercises, leaving behind unexploded ordnance or UXO (including bombs, bullets and shells).

In the 1940s and 1950s, there were a number of incidences where these UXO were uncovered and went off resulting in serious injuries. UXO surfaced on Nation land after the 2013 floods and more have been uncovered as recently as last spring, demonstrating that the UXO still pose safety risks today.

In order to prevent similar instances from happening again and noting that many people are not aware of the Tsuut’ina Nation boundary, the Nation is building the fence to prevent accidental trespassing and help keep people safe.  

Will the fence affect local wildlife?

The fence will be constructed high enough that animals will not attempt to jump over and there is sufficient spacing to ensure nothing will get caught in the fence. Water crossings will still be available to wildlife moving through the area.

Could flooding create debris pileups along the fence?

The Nation has managed this land for thousands of years and knows that the river can be unpredictable as it changes with the seasons. As a result, they will not build fencing in areas where there is a risk it could wash away and there won’t be any fencing in the majority of places where debris pileup may occur. The fence will be set back roughly 10 metres from the river’s edge and approximately 5 metres from banks of solid ground. 

What is the construction timeline?

  • Brushing and hand clearing in the area will begin in mid-to late-January.
  • Fence construction is set to begin in early February. Construction will begin in the west by the Elbow Springs Golf Course and then move east toward Griffith Woods Park and then on to Stoney Trail S.W.  
  • Fence construction should be complete by the end of 2022.

The Nation is working hard to ensure all work can be done from their property in the south as they do not want the construction work to disturb the Discovery Ridge community or users of Griffith Woods Park. Should any work need to be done in the community, the Nation is committed to keeping disturbance to a minimum.

More information

Please contact 311 with any questions or for more information. 

Important notice

The Tsuut’ina Nation is the sovereign owner of the land (including the Elbow River) beyond the Tsuut’ina/City of Calgary boundary line. Exploring any further than this line, including along the riverbanks and into the river, is trespassing on Nation property. Please help respect our neighbours and do not try to cross the fence/boundary line into Nation lands.    

This information has no legal status and cannot be used as an official interpretation of the various bylaws, codes and regulations currently in effect. The City of Calgary accepts no responsibility to persons relying solely on this information. Web pages are updated periodically. ​

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