Twenty bison are roaming Willow Lake Metis Nation territory in Alberta for the first time in generations. The herd arrived at Willow Lake Metis Farms in Anzac in February 2026, marking a major cultural and environmental milestone.

The reintroduction answers a long-standing call from the Nation’s citizens, who identified bison restoration as a community priority. For generations, bison provided food, tools, clothing, and teachings for Metis and Indigenous peoples across the plains.

The 205-acre farm site was established in 2025 with a vision for eco-bison ranching and food sovereignty. The bison anchor that mission and support a planned grand opening in spring 2026.

“Bringing bison back to our land is something our citizens have called for, and something our ancestors would recognize as right,” said Nation president Stella Lavallee.

The project adds to a wider comeback for plains bison. Once numbering in the tens of millions, the species fell to a few hundred animals by the 1880s. Bison have also been returned to Banff National Park and Cowessess First Nation lands in recent years.