Monitoring of human health in the oil sands region of Alberta

Petition: 366

Issue(s): Human/environmental health, natural resources, toxic substances, and other

Petitioner(s): Resident of Canada

Petitioner Location(s): Calgary, Alberta

Date Received: 10 June 2014

Status: Completed—Response(s) to petition received

Summary: This petition asserts that there is currently a lack of analysis of healthcare data on cancer rates in the oil sands region of Alberta. The petition references research findings on increased incidences of cancer in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, and questions why further studies on environmental exposure to human health have not been conducted in the oil sands region when data for such analyses exist. The petition references the “Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring” and requests information on cancer incidence rates for all types of cancers in this region for the period between 1968 and 2013. The petition also requests information on how cancer incidence rates in the oil sands region compare to incidence rates in the rest of Alberta and the rest of Canada.

Federal Departments and Agency Responsible for Reply: Environment Canada, Health Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada