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Tar Sands

The tar sands of Alberta pose one of the largest ecological challenges in North America's history. Rapid and unconstrained growth of tar sands oil production will leave result in:

· Increased green house gas emissions. In 2000, the tar sands industry released 23.3 MT of GHG emissions (3 per cent of Canada's total). By 2015, tar sands GHG emissions are expected to rise to between 57 and 97 MT--which would make it the single largest contributor to GHG emissions growth in Canada. This would also virtually guarantee that Canada would fail to achieve its Kyoto Protocol targets.

· Unsustainable water allocations - for every barrel of mined bitumen requires 4 to 5 barrels of water

· Irreversible damage to Boreal Forest ecosystems and the corresponding loss of one of the last wild places on Earth.

The provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta are rich in a multitude of energy sources. In the past, development has focused on production of both conventional and unconventional oil and gas, as well as reactor grade uranium (found in Northern Saskatchewan). There are, however, also renewable energy sources awaiting development -the Southern areas of Saskatchewan and Alberta are prime locations for wind and solar energy development as some of the windiest and sunniest places in Canada.


ACTION ALERT: Call Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach and Prime Minister Harper to Demand Action on the Toxic Tar Sands!


500 Ducks Die after Landing on Tailings Pond

Only a week after Ed Stelmach announced his government would be spending $25 million dollars to paint the black tar sands green, more than 500 migratory ducks are dying after landing on a toxic Syncrude tailings pond.

NOW is the time to demand ACTION from the Albertan government! The tar sands are a dirty, toxic, and environmentally devastating megaproject that endangers not only the lives of animals, but of people living in downstream communities and Albertans working and living in the tar sands region.

The tar sands lie along a major migratory bird pathway, and tailings ponds are a feature of all open-pit mines in the tar sands region. This development is clearly in contravention to the Migratory Birds Convention Act, which states:

5.1 (1) No person or vessel shall deposit a substance that is harmful to migratory birds, or permit such a substance to be deposited, in waters or an area frequented by migratory birds or in a place from which the substance may enter such waters or such an area.

As the Alberta government continues to approve all proposed tar sands projects (no proposal to date has ever been rejected), Alberta is looking at having tar sands tailings lakes which combined will cover an area greater than five Sylvan Lakes (a lake the size 42.8 square kilometers).

After this accident, the Alberta government is painting itself as an unfortunate David to the growing Green Goliath - a movement that is calling for a no new tar sands approvals. What our government should be asking is, if it took a whistleblower to report this disaster, how many more have gone unreported in the past? How is the Alberta government going to monitor future tar sands projects if it can't even reliably keep watch over existing ones?

ACTION is needed to ensure our political decision-makers know that the Canadian people are calling with one voice for a TAR SANDS TIME OUT! It is time to stop unmitigated tar sands development!

TAKE ACTION: Whether you're a resident of Alberta or of Canada, YOU can have an effect on what happens in this province! Help us increase the pressure on our Premier and Prime Minister this week!

If you are a resident of Alberta:
CALL Premier Stelmach's office at (780) 427 2251 and demand:

  • NO NEW TAR SANDS APPROVALS. No more animals or people should have to die to feed our addiction to oil.
  • A full investigation to be conducted of what caused this tragedy to occur. Request that the inquiry include the Albertan government in its scope.
  • That the $25 million his government intends to use for advertisements that paint Alberta as a Green province to be put toward REAL environmental action in this province - investment in renewables!

Sign your support online at www.nonewapprovals.ca.

If you are living outside of Alberta (and in Alberta too!)
CALL Prime Minister Harper's office at (613) 992-4211 and demand:

  • NO NEW TAR SANDS APPROVALS. No more animals or people should have to die to feed our addiction to oil.
  • Tar Sands development may be in contravention of the Migratory Birds Convention Act and no additional tailings ponds should be given approval.
  • That the federal government stand up and take action for environmental and human rights abuses that are happening in its watch. This is a national and an international issue and the Canadian Government needs to be a player in decisions made about the dirty tar sands.

Sign your support online at www.nonewapprovals.ca.

THANK YOU!

For more information on the Tar Sands visit www.tarsandstimeout.ca!


Issue Updates

Managing the Tar Sands Boom - It's Time to Stop and Think!
For immediate release: On January 31st, a broad cross-section of Alberta, national and international organizations will come together to voice their shared concerns with the rapid pace of oil sands development and its effects on land, air, economy, and health in Alberta. Find out more...

Alberta Government's Public Consultations - Phase 2
Phase 2 of the Alberta Government’s public consultations on the future of tar sands development are currently ongoing, ending April 23-24th in Calgary. Thank you to everyone who has participated in the oil sands public consultations so far. In phase 1, 170 verbal presentations and even more written submissions came in with a strong message that the public is concerned about the current rate and impact of development, as well as the lack of a plan. Presenters discussed both the social and environmental impacts of development. Chapter Director Lindsay Telfer continues in her role as representative on the multi-stakeholder committee as the process continues.

In phase 2, the overwhelming message from Albertans has been for a moratorium on any new tar sands developments. It is critical that we keep up the pressure and make sure Premier Stelmach, as well as the multi-stakeholder comitee, hears loud and clear that Albertans care about their water, their climate, their communities, and want a tar sands time out.

Click here to write a Letter to Premier Stelmach

Download the Prairie Chapter's Official Submissions to the Consultations

Lindsay also had a rare glimpse at the immense impact the Albera Tar Sands are having on the landscape. Click here to see the amazing photos she was able to take!

For more information see:

TAR SANDS ACTION GUIDE: A GUIDE TO ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY DURING, AND AFTER, THE OIL SANDS PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS
download pdf

MANAGING OIL SANDS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE LONG TERM:
A DECLARATION BY CANADA’S ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY
download pdf