Alberta’s government has accepted four new recommendations aimed at improving oil sands mine water management and speeding up tailings pond reclamation, officials announced Friday.The recommendations, released by the Oil Sands Mine Water Steering Committee, call for new treatment technologies, greater community involvement in monitoring programs, the creation of standards for releasing treated mine water, and advancing the use of end pit lakes.“Doing nothing while mine water continues accumulating is not a sustainable long-term approach,” said Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz. “These recommendations are a path forward to responsibly manage these waters and grow energy production while protecting the environment and communities downstream.”.Tany Yao, committee chair and MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, said Alberta and industry partners have identified science-based solutions for treating and releasing mine water, and are urging the federal government to act. Pierre Gratton, CEO of the Mining Association of Canada, said the measures provide industry with a clear framework to proceed with significant spending on reclamation and water treatment.The committee’s new recommendations include piloting mine water treatment technologies, expediting release standards, establishing criteria for end pit lakes, and expanding inclusive monitoring programs..These build on five earlier recommendations issued in June.Alberta’s tailings ponds now hold more than 1.3 billion cubic metres of water, sand, clay and residual bitumen. In 2023, 79% of the water used for oil sands mining was recycled. The province said ongoing collaboration with indigenous communities is vital to protecting land and water while implementing the plan.Officials said Alberta Environment and Protected Areas will work with the Alberta Energy Regulator in the coming months to evaluate and implement a science-based, safe plan for tailings pond management.
