Oil sands monitoring annual report 2013 to 2014

•  
•  
• Next page

Table of contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Reporting against key commitments
• 3. Next steps
• 4. Appendices
• 5. References
• 6. Acronyms
• 7. Technical annex

PDF version - 407 Kb

Preface

This Annual Report was prepared by the Alberta Environmental Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting Agency (AEMERA) and Environment Canada.

The report presents information on the progress made in year two (April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014) of the Implementation Plan. The scope of this report covers the second year of the three-year Joint Canada/Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring, which is co-led by Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development on behalf of the Government of Alberta and Environment Canada on behalf of the Government of Canada.

The Alberta Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Agency (AEMERA) assumed provincial responsibility for the Joint Canada-Alberta Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring (JOSM) upon the proclamation of the Protecting Alberta’s Environment Act on April 28, 2014. Since its establishment, the Agency has led the Government of Alberta's contributions and input to JOSM, including the preparation of this report.

Executive summary

The Joint Canada/Alberta Implementation Plan outlines how the governments of Alberta and Canada will work together as partners to implement a world class monitoring program for the oil sands that integrates air, water, land and biodiversity. Monitoring commitments made by the governments in the Implementation Plan are intended to improve characterization of the state of the environment as well as understanding the cumulative effects of activities in the oil sands area.

The Implementation Plan is funded by industry to a maximum of $50 million annually. The approach to implementation is both phased (2012 to 2015) and adaptive to ensure governments are responsive to the priorities that emerge through new information and knowledge, and input from key stakeholders.

Working together in year two (2013 to 2014), Canada and Alberta made progress on various fronts including strengthening the Joint Oil Sands Monitoring governance and planning structures to meet the commitments and objectives outlined in the Implementation Plan.

The Government of Alberta made notable progress in creating the conditions for achieving commitments made under the Joint Implementation Plan through legislative and regulatory changes to support ambient environmental monitoring province-wide.

This annual report presents highlights of progress made against commitments and objectives, and a technical annex summarising monitoring activities in the second year (2013 to 2014) of the Implementation Plan.