Northern Alberta First Nation to receive 14 bison from Parks Canada

Bison to return to Alberta First Nation The Woodland Cree First Nation will get 14 bison. CTV News Edmonton's Sarah Plowman reports.

EDMONTON — About 100 years after they used to roam the area, a northern Alberta First Nation will get 14 new bison.

The effort to bring bison back to Martin Lake Reserve started when the Woodland Cree Nation signed the Buffalo Treaty in 2019.

Elk Island National Park will now move 14 wood bison to the area about seven hours north of Edmonton.

Lawrence Lamouche is excited.

"A bison running, they kind of bounce," he said. "It's exciting, but it's also kind of scary at the same time because you see this big thing coming and you're like, 'How close is it coming to me?'"

Parks Canada recently moved bison to Banff National Park and Indigenous communities in Montana and Saskatchewan.

"They're breeding-age animals so some of the actual females that are going to Woodland Cree will be pregnant as well," said Parks Canada Superintendent Dale Kirkland.

The Woodland Cree First Nation's plan is to care for the bison and eventually grow the population.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Sarah Plowman