City of Calgary plans reconciliation pact with Bearspaw First Nation
Council will vote Thursday on a memorandum of understanding with Bearspaw First Nation, following similar agreements with Blackfoot Confederacy and Siksika Health Services.
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Calgary's city council will vote Thursday, July 16 on whether to support a memorandum of understanding with Bearspaw First Nation, part of the city's ongoing push to strengthen ties with Indigenous groups.
The move follows similar pacts signed with the Blackfoot Confederacy in May 2025 and Siksika Health Services in April 2026. If council approves the recommendation Thursday, Mayor Jeromy Farkas would sign the MOU at a joint signing event with Bearspaw First Nation Chief Darcy Dixon, with a signing potentially happening this fall after the agreement is ratified by both councils later this month.
While the MOUs are legally non-binding, they aim to establish collaborative relationships around areas of mutual interest and partnership. The city's report states the agreements are part of a broader reconciliation initiative. A similar MOU is currently underway with Tsuut'ina Nation, who requested an agreement with Calgary in November 2024.
The facts
When will Calgary city council vote on the Bearspaw First Nation agreement?
Calgary city council will vote on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
What other Indigenous groups has Calgary signed similar agreements with?
Calgary signed a memorandum of understanding with the Blackfoot Confederacy in May 2025 and with Siksika Health Services in April 2026.
Are these memorandums of understanding legally binding?
No, the MOUs are legally non-binding, though they aim to establish collaborative relationships around areas of mutual interest and partnership.
