In December 2017, the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that renewed each Government’s commitment to monitoring environmental impacts of oil sands development through the Oil Sands Monitoring Program (OSMP). The MOU established the mutual intentions of both governments to continue to collaborate and be accountable for the design and implementation of an integrated monitoring, evaluation and reporting system. It also confirmed the joint commitment to revise and establish, in cooperation with Indigenous Communities in the oil sands region, effective mechanisms for Indigenous participation in the design, implementation and governance of the monitoring system. This includes development of a comprehensive, ongoing agreement (the Operational Framework Agreement, finalized September 21, 2018) that defines the governance and implementation model to guide the decision-making structure and processes, roles and responsibilities, and the monitoring, research mandate, and objectives of the OSMP.
Figure 1: Oil Sands Monitoring Program Governance Structure
Technical Advisory Committees
The Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) are accountable for designing monitoring programs to address the priorities determined by the Oversight Committee. Technical Advisory Committees will report to the Science and Indigenous Knowledge Integration Committee, (SIKIC) and work with SIKIC to ensure monitoring is integrated between components. These Committees will also work with the Indigenous CBM Advisory Committee to identify and develop opportunities. Each Committee will develop work plans, identify delivery agents, direct analysis and ongoing evaluation of programs, and ensure that traditional knowledge and community-based monitoring are integrated where appropriate.
Technical Advisory Committees will be established for the following program areas:
- Air & Atmospheric Deposition
- Aquatics & Surface Water Monitoring
- Wetlands Monitoring
- Data Management, Analytics and Prediction
Ground Water Monitoring and Terrestrial Biological Monitoring Technical Advisory Committees were established in late 2018.
Expectations
Members will make every effort to prepare for and attend all meetings, understanding that each meeting builds on the work from the previous meetings, including decisions that have been made. If an alternate is attending, that alternate will be informed of progress to date and be prepared to move forward. Members of this committee will respect access to confidential and sensitive information which is presented and/or discussed at Committee meetings. Committee members are expected to raise concerns and issues at Committee meetings in order to address them at a programmatic level before pursuing alternative venues. It is understood that there will be a requirement for in-person meetings as the Agreement is implemented, but that with time members can move more to virtual meetings thereby allowing resources to be focused towards monitoring and communicating results.
ENGO members are expected to provide regular updates on the activities of the TAC to the relevant AEN issue caucus and to the Network as a whole through periodic written briefs and participation in caucus conference calls and meetings.
The Technical Advisory Committees will meet no less than four times per year or at a frequency determined by the Oversight Committee and in accordance with the Operational Framework Agreement timelines. Members will be selected to serve a maximum 3-year term allowing for a period of transitional overlap. Membership terms will also strive to be staggered.
Travel expenses to in-person meetings will be covered, and there is also an honoraria per meeting attended.
In identifying membership of the Technical Advisory Committee, the following criteria will be considered:
- Expertise in a relevant technical discipline (air, land, water, biodiversity, wildlife, etc.)
- Expert in their field, holding a technical degree and/or professional expertise in a relevant discipline that is current;
- Familiar with the region, oil sands and environmental monitoring
- Experience in governance and consensus decision-making
Please reply to [email protected] by Friday, November 9, 2019 providing:
- Which Program Area TAC the applicant is seeking to join;
- Contact information of applicant (including address, email, and phone number);
- The name of the environmental non-governmental organization being represented by the applicant; and
- A brief description of the applicant’s background and abilities; particularly those relevant to the selection criteria.
| Attachment | Size |
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 Delegate Selection Notice (PDF) | 230.42 KB |