The recent move by Prime Minister Mark Carney to expedite a new oil export pipeline to the West Coast is heightening the urgency for Ottawa to make a decision on a long-standing environmental concern in the oilsands of Northern Alberta — the management of tailings ponds.
The production of oil in the region is projected to increase, with the Alberta government aiming to double crude production. However, since the inception of the first oilsands mine approximately six decades ago, the industry has been prohibited from discharging any water. Consequently, extensive tailings ponds in the area are brimming with decades’ worth of industrial mining wastewater, which is hazardous and detrimental to wildlife. Residents in the vicinity are apprehensive about the adverse health effects and environmental impacts.
To deter birds and wildlife from the water, air cannons operate continuously along the perimeters of the tailings ponds, alongside numerous scarecrows adorned in work attire. The scale of the issue is vast, equivalent to 600,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools or covering the area of the Island of Montreal under three meters of water.
The volume of tailings fluid has been steadily increasing, expanding by 50 percent over a decade from 2014 to 2024 according to the Alberta Energy Regulator. As the tailings ponds reach capacity, the industry is advocating for government regulations permitting the treatment and subsequent release of the fluid. Concurrently, some Indigenous leaders are advocating for a reduction in oilsands production until this matter is appropriately addressed.
According to Alberta’s Environment Minister Grant Hunter, there is reluctance to construct more storage lakes as the existing tailings ponds are already full. He emphasized the necessity to validate the science instead of evading the issue, underscoring the importance of providing the industry with the tools to conduct proper treat-and-release protocols.
By year-end, the Alberta government intends to outline the requisite water quality standards for release. Nevertheless, as waterways fall under federal jurisdiction, the adoption of these proposed regulations, potential modifications, or the maintenance of the current ban will be at Ottawa’s discretion.
Industry entities assert possessing the technology and expertise to treat tailings water effectively, emphasizing the necessity of clear regulatory guidelines on water quality standards. They argue that comprehensive land reclamation efforts cannot proceed until the tailings ponds are effectively managed.
If the treat-and-release method is approved, the treated water would be channeled into the Athabasca River, which traverses north from Fort McMurray through the oilsands region, subsequently reaching several Indigenous communities before ultimately draining into the Northwest Territories and the Arctic Ocean.
While some Indigenous leaders and communities express concerns about treating and releasing tailings pond water into the Athabasca River, industry players stress their extensive efforts in developing and testing various technologies for wastewater treatment. They underline their commitment to ongoing water monitoring programs in the region, aiming for effective, environmentally sound treatment solutions with enduring benefits.
The pressure is mounting on Ottawa to take action, with the federal government yet to disclose its next steps regarding tailings pond management regulations. Federal Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson’s recent comments regarding the development of regulations by the end of 2027 were later retracted, indicating no set timeline for the regulatory framework.