Environmental effects of the closure, remediation, and reclamation of oil sands mines

Petition: 499

Issue(s): Corporate social responsibility; Human/environmental health; Toxic substances; Waste management; Water

Petitioner(s): A Canadian resident

Petitioner location(s): Calgary, Alberta

Date received: 19 February 2024

Status: Completed - Response(s) to petition received

Summary: The petition concerns the socio-environmental effects of the anticipated increase in the number of oil sands tailings, or waste storage facilities, in the Lower Athabasca region. The petition states that the Alberta Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas recently announced its intention to place 1.6 trillion litres of tailing deposits in mined‑out pits, which would be covered with soil and eventually revegetated. The petition claims that oil sands tailings and oil sands processed water contain various toxic substances. It states that these pose significant risks to fish and fish habitat, Indigenous peoples in the Lower Athabasca region, and downstream communities in the Northwest Territories.

The petition questions what role Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Natural Resources Canada have had in the closure, remediation, and reclamation process of oil sands mines. The petition also asks whether these departments have had any role in the disposal of tailings. Furthermore, the petition questions how federal involvement in this process reflects the Government of Canada’s commitment to sustainable development and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

Federal departments/organizations responsible for reply: Environment and Climate Change Canada; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Natural Resources Canada