Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent move to expedite a new oil export pipeline to the West Coast is intensifying pressure on Ottawa to make a decision regarding a longstanding environmental concern in the oilsands of Northern Alberta — the management of tailings ponds.
With oil production in the region poised to increase, the Alberta government aims to double crude output.
Since the inception of the first oilsands mine around six decades ago, the industry has been prohibited from discharging any water. Consequently, vast tailings ponds in the area are brimming with years of industrial mining wastewater, which is hazardous to wildlife and poses health risks to residents.
To deter birds and wildlife from the water, air cannons operate continuously along the perimeter of the tailings ponds, complemented by numerous scarecrows clad in work attire.
The scale of the issue is immense, equivalent to around 600,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools or covering the area of the Island of Montreal under three meters of water.
An aerial view of a tailings pond, which holds mining wastewater and contains various contaminants.
The volume of tailings fluid has been steadily rising, growing by 50% over a decade from 2014 to 2024, as reported by the Alberta Energy Regulator.
As the capacity of tailings ponds nears its limit, the industry is urging for government regulations permitting treatment and subsequent release of the fluid. Concurrently, some Indigenous leaders advocate for a slowdown in oilsands production until the matter is adequately addressed.
According to Alberta’s Environment Minister Grant Hunter, the existing tailings ponds are at their maximum capacity, and there is resistance against constructing more storage lakes.
“We cannot simply ignore the issue or delay action. The key is to validate the science and provide the industry with the means to properly treat and release,” Hunter emphasized.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announces the proposed Pacific Link pipeline will be fast-tracked during an event in Fort McMurray, Alta., on Oct. 1.
Alberta’s plan
By year-end, the Alberta government intends to specify the required water quality standards for potential release. However, since water bodies fall under federal jurisdiction, Ottawa will need to adopt, amend, or retain the proposed regulations.
Industry players assert they possess the necessary technology and expertise to treat tailings water effectively but await regulatory clarity on water quality standards. They argue that comprehensive land reclamation is unattainable until the tailings ponds are addressed.
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