Canadian government aware of oil sands environmental issues

A document obtained under Canada’s access-to-information law shows that the Canadian government was aware that contaminant levels exceeded guidelines, higher-than-expected atmospheric concentrations of chemicals, and a lack of regional species such as marten and fisher, in the Alberta oil sands. The January 2015 briefing note, prepared for Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford, discussed findings from a tar sands monitoring report published in December 2014. While highlighting issues with contaminants and species at risk, the briefing note did not directly link environmental impacts to the oil sands, saying that “oil-sands-related pollutants in the environment are generally not at concentrations that give cause for concern.” First Nations and environmentalists have raised concerns for years and have criticized oil-sands projects for seepage and leakage of chemicals from tailings ponds, affecting communities downstream.