An agreement between a northern Saskatchewan First Nation and a mining company to collaborate on environmental management has stopped a lawsuit against the provincial government.
In a news release, the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) announced its support, and new role as environmental monitor, for the Denison Mines uranium mining project near Wheeler River, a development approximately 625 km north of Saskatoon.
Prior concerns about the work’s impact on the nation’s traditional territory were addressed by the Toronto-based mining company, which prompted the change in the PBCN’s position, the First Nation said.
In October of 2025, PBCN announced it would take Saskatchewan’s government to court for allegedly “(failing) to meaningfully consult or accommodate the nation” during the environmental assessments. The legal challenge was presented after what the PBCN described as years of federal and provincial governments neglecting their duty to ensure fair consultation periods.
“The nation was given only six weeks to review thousands of pages of technical documents and no funding to hire experts,” PBCN’s release from last October reads. Requests for additional time or supports were said to have been denied.
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That judicial review has been halted, following the agreement between Denison Mining and PBCN, Friday’s release says.
“Through environmental monitoring, training and employment, this agreement creates real opportunities while supporting responsible development,” PBCN Chief Peter Beatty said in the release.
“Our members know this territory, and they have an important role to play in protecting it.”
Its exact terms are confidential. PBCN says it secured a supervisory role and funding for the nation to lead community-based environmental monitoring. Information on eligibility, as well as applications for the monitoring program, will be shared at a later date.
The agreement will also provide PBCN communities with job prospects, business opportunities and financial benefits, the nation said.
In a news release, Denison Mines said it is “pleased to report that PBCN has now formally provided its consent to and support for the development and operation of Denison’s Wheeler River Project.”
The Athabasca Basin mining operation was approved for construction last February, according to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, who said operations cannot start until the group obtains a separate licence.
If work at the mines begins, the commission says up to 5,400 tons of uranium oxide, the chemical used to fuel nuclear reactors, could be produced for up to 15 years.
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