Oil sands monitoring documents and reports

The Oil Sands Monitoring (OSM) Program is co-managed by the governments of Canada and Alberta, together with Indigenous communities and industry. The Program seeks to enhance understanding of the effects of oil sands development activities through ambient environmental monitoring in the oil sands region.

The development of the first Science and Monitoring Plan 2024-29 (the Strategic Plan) is an important milestone for the Program. The Stratgeic Plan was developed and approved through consensus within the Oversight Committee of the OSM Program, representing Indigenous communities, industry and government.

The four broad program strategic priorities include:

• Moving to an integrated, risk-based adaptive monitoring and evaluation program that reflects diverse knowledge systems and informs decision making,

• Ensuring that OSM Program data and information is accurate, timely, relevant and accessible,

• Improving program reporting, knowledge synthesis and communication to OSM members, decision-makers and the public, and;

• Enhancing program governance effectiveness and efficiency for program delivery and reinforcing a strong multi-stakeholder planning and decision-making process.

The Strategic Plan will provide high-level direction and program expectations for the development and implementation of the annual Ambient Monitoring Work Plan, which includes monitoring of air, water, wetlands, biodiversity and Indigenous Community-based Monitoring.

In 2025, the Oil Sands Monitoring Program released a report on the condition of surface water for rivers and streams in the oil sands region, focusing on two main areas—water quality (what chemicals components are found in these waters) and water quantity (what are the flows and levels of these waters). The work was shaped and directed by input from Indigenous, industry, and government partners involved in the Oil Sands Monitoring Program.

The approach and outcomes from this state of environment reporting initiative on surface water quality and quantity are available in a short overview (link) and summary report (link), along with the full technical report (link) and associated appendices on the Government of Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring Portal (English only). The French version of the summary and overview will be made available early 2026.

The findings provide information to help understand the current state of water quality and quantity in the oil sands area, and how much it has been changing over time and from one place to another. Although the monitoring results don’t show obvious widespread impacts linked to oil sands development activity, they do highlight areas where there have been some changes in water quality and quantity that may need further investigation.