The United States has paused negotiations with Canada on an amended Columbia River Treaty.

The Treaty, in effect since the 1960s, addresses the development and management of the Columbia River and its tributaries, which flow from British Columbia into Washington and Oregon. It focuses on flood control and hydroelectric power generation.

A new agreement-in-principle was announced last July and it was hoped things would have been settled prior to the Trump administration taking over in January.

The Province will also be scheduling in-person community meetings in the Columbia Basin, in addition to a virtual information session later this month, as part of the government’s ongoing engagement with Basin First Nations, local governments and residents about the agreement-in-principle.

Information about the AIP is available on the B.C. Columbia River Treaty website, including recordings of two virtual information sessions. In September 2024, the Province launched an online survey for people to share feedback about the AIP, which is helping inform the next steps in the modernization process.

https://engage.gov.bc.ca/columbiarivertreaty/