Issue Briefs
Issue Brief: Imperial Oil tailings leaks
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Latest Updates
Hearings on the Kearl spill before the House of Commons environment and sustainable development committee started with Indigenous communities testifying on April 17 followed by executives from Imperial Oil on April 20.
- Media Release Statement in solidarity with Indigenous nations testifying today about the Imperial Oil toxic leak (Keepers of the Water, Environmental Defence, Indigenous Climate Action | April 17, 2023)
- News First Nations, Métis leaders from Alberta speak about Kearl tar sands in Ottawa (APTN News | April 17, 2023)
- News First Nations blast Alberta Energy Regulator at hearing; Guibeault promises reform (Global News/The Canadian Press | April 17, 2023)
- News Alberta and its regulator get rough ride at Parliamentary committee for Kearl tailings pond seepage fiasco (Windspeaker.com | April 17, 2023)
- News Imperial CEO hears impact of Kearl oilsands leaks, apologizes for silence: ‘We have broken this trust’ (Global News/The Canadian Press | April 20, 2023)
- News NDP MP says tar sands spill shows need for more Indigenous involvement in environmental monitoring (APTN News | April 20, 2023)
- Media Release House of Commons ENVI Committee Hearings Raise More Questions than Answers (Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation | April 21, 2023)
In the midst of the testimony before the environment and sustainable development committee, it was announced that there had been a release of water from Suncor's Fort Hills oil sands site.
- Announcement Statement on Suncor Release of Water (AER | April 18, 2023)
- News Nearly 6 million litres of water from oilsands sediment pond released into Athabasca River (CBC News/The Canadian Press | April 18, 2023)
- News Suncor incident highlights ‘continued failure’ of Alberta regulator: First Nation chief (Global News | April 19, 2023)
- Media Release ACFN's response to Suncor's release of muddy water into Fort Creek (Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation | April 19, 2023)
- News Suncor to be investigated after dead animals found at mine site (Global News/The Canadian Press | April 22, 2023)
Resources
Learn more about oil sands tailings, take action, and amplify the concerns around the Imperial Oil Kearl Project leaks.
- Info Hub Everything you need to know about the Kearl Mine tailings silent leak and then sudden spill (CPAWS Northern Alberta)
- Toolkit Holding Imperial Accountable! Toolkit (Keepers of the Water)
- Toolkit Amplification Kit (Indigenous Climate Action)
- Report 50 Years of Sprawling Tailings: Mapping decades of destruction by oil sands tailing (CPAWS Northern Alberta & Environmental Defence)
Issue Brief: Alberta Court of Appeal finds Impact Assessment Act unconstitutional
On May 10, 2022, in a 4-1 decision, the Alberta Court of Appeal issued its opinion that the federal Impact Assessment Act is unconstitutional. The constitutional challenge was launched by the Province of Alberta after the Act became law in 2019. In response, the federal government swiftly announced its intention to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Canada. Decisions issued in constitutional references such as this, are considered non-binding, so the Impact Assessment Act remains in force.
A number of legal experts have expressed the opinion that the constitutionality of the Impact Assessment Act would be upheld by the Supreme Court. Read More
Issue Brief: Woodland caribou conservation and recovery in Alberta
Updated: April 22, 2022
On April 8, 2022, the Government of Alberta released sub-regional caribou recovery plans for the Bitscho Lake and Cold Lake sub-regions. Environmental groups are concerned that the plans lack a commitment to aggressive short-term actions that are necessary due to decades of inaction. There has also been criticism of the government's commitment to collaboration with Indigenous communities on Indigenous-led conservation initiatives.
- Media Release Alberta’s new caribou range plans miss the mark on Indigenous-led conservation and fail to effectively protect habitat (CPAWS Northern Alberta)
- Media Release Alberta’s First Caribou Range Plans: A Promising Land-Use System That Needs Stronger ‘Decade 1’ Indigenous Rights and Habitat Actions (Alberta Wilderness Association)
- News Alberta's 1st caribou recovery plans not enough to protect species habitat, conservationists say (CBC News)
- News Alberta releases recovery plans for 2 threatened caribou herds (Global News/Canadian Press)
ENGO responses to the federal Budget 2022
On April 7, 2022, the federal government released Budget 2022. The budget comes in the wake of the government’s recently released 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, and the latest alarming IPCC report reaffirming the increasingly urgent need for climate action. Read More
Issue Brief: ENGO Responses to the federal 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan
On March 29, 2022, the federal government released its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy. We’ve gathered some news and analysis of the plan, and reactions from the environmental non-profit sector. Read More
Coal Mining in Alberta's Eastern Slopes and Beyond
Take Action on Coal | Information & Resources | Updates & News
Updated March 15, 2022
Latest Update: Government announces expanded coal restrictions, releases Coal Policy Committee reports
On March 4, 2022, the Government of Alberta announced restrictions on coal development in the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies. The restrictions on new development will be in place until directions on coal activities are incorporated into updated regional land-use plans.
The Goverment also released the final reports of the Coal Policy Committee. Concerns with the environmental impacts of coal mining ranked among the most important issues to Albertans.
- News Release Getting it right on coal in Alberta (Government of Alberta)
- Reports Final report : recommendations for the management of coal resources in Alberta (Coal Policy Committee)
- Reports Engaging Albertans about coal (Coal Policy Committee)
Environmental groups welcomed the restrictions on new development, but concerns remained over the impacts of existing coal mining activities and the 4 advanced projects that were allowed to continue the regulatory process.
- Coal Exploration and Mining on the Eastern Slopes – Is there an end in sight? (Alberta Wilderness Association)
- Government of Alberta’s new plan provides temporary relief from the risk of coal (CPAWS Northern & Southern Alberta)
- What has (and hasn’t) changed for coal mining in Alberta (The Narwhal)
- Alberta keeps decades-old coal policy in place, 4 advanced projects to continue regulatory process (CBC News)
- Alberta to extend pause on Rocky Mountain coal mines (Global News/The Canadian Press)
Alberta Beyond Coal: What to Expect in 2022
Despite the reinstatement of Alberta’s 1976 Coal Policy in 2021, eight coal mining projects continued to move ahead with exploration. Coal development was not only still an option in Alberta, it was still happening.
Protect our Water - Alberta Beyond Coal was started to fight well-resourced coal companies and their billionaire owners. Through education, outreach and a strategic lawn sign campaign, the Alberta Environmental Network organized a collaborative effort to pause coal development in Alberta. Read More
Defend Alberta Parks: What to Expect in 2022
In December 2020, the Alberta government announced the “Optimizing Alberta Parks” plan was not going ahead. Thousands of people from across Alberta spoke up against the proposal to close or delist parks. Read More
UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow
COP26 in Glasgow comes to an official close today. A first draft of the COP26 agreement text was released on Wednesday, and was criticized for its lack of ambition and urgency.
- COP26 draft deal calls for stronger carbon cutting targets by end of 2022 (The Globe and Mail)
- Draft climate deal puts global fossil fuel subsidies on notice (National Observer)
- Cop26 draft text annotated: what it says and what it means (The Guardian)
- COP26: what the draft agreement says – and why it’s being criticised (The Conversation)
- Current COP26 draft decision text fails to offer support for vulnerable countries on loss and damage, nor keeps 1.5C in sight (Climate Action Network)
The draft text explicitly refers to "fossil fuels" — which has never appeared in the final text of a COP decision document — calling on countries "to accelerate the phasing-out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels." This language was watered down in the second draft published today.
- COP26 draft agreement waters down language on coal use and fossil fuel subsidies (The Globe and Mail)
- Second Cop26 draft text: Coal phaseout remains in but some language softened (The Guardian)
- The changes to the Cop26 draft text and what they mean (The Guardian)
- Fossil Subsidies Gain, ‘Deep Regret’ on Climate Finance in Latest COP 26 Draft (The Energy Mix)
- Climate experts demand Canada push for stronger COP26 decision text (Climate Action Network Canada)
While COP26 officially ends today, negotiations on the final text of the agreement are ongoing. Negotiations at previous COPs have often extended until Saturday or Sunday. Read More