News Release

Canada’s Environment Minister Announces Integrated Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring

Plan Focuses on Air Quality, Biodiversity and Water

OTTAWA, Ont. -- July 21, 2011 -- Canada’s Environment Minister, the Honourable Peter Kent, released an integrated, world-class monitoring plan for the oil sands region today. The Government of Canada will be working with the Province of Alberta on implementing the plan.

“The oil sands represent a significant, long‑term economic advantage for the people of Alberta, and all Canadians,” said Minister Kent. “We must ensure that this resource is developed in a way that protects our air, our water and biodiversity for generations to come.”   

The Government of Canada coordinated the development of the monitoring plan in collaboration with provincial, territorial and academic scientists. This final plan includes components for monitoring air quality, biodiversity, and the next phase of water quality monitoring in the oil sands region.

The plan will provide the scientific foundation necessary to provide governments and industry with the information that they need to continue to ensure the environmentally sustainable development of this important resource. 

The integrated monitoring plan follows a 2010 recommendation of an independent Oil Sands Advisory Panel, and was designed on the core principles recommended by the Advisory Panel: holistic and comprehensive; scientifically rigorous; adaptive and robust; inclusive and collaborative; and, transparent and accessible.

The Government looks forward to working with the Province of Alberta and industry in developing strategies for implementing the plan.

Related documents:

An Integrated Monitoring Plan for the Oil Sands [Backgrounder]

Statement from Liz Dowdeswell, who chaired the peer review process for the oil sands surface water monitoring plan, July 21, 2011

Notes for Remarks by The Honourable Peter Kent, P.C., .P., Minister of the Environment, Announcement of an integrated monitoring plan for the oil sands, National Press Theatre, 150 Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON, July 21, 2011, 11:30 a.m. (EDT)

For more information, please contact:

Melissa Lantsman
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441

Media Relations
Environment Canada
819-934-8008

Environment Canada’s Twitter page: http://twitter.com/environmentca

Environment Canada’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/environmentcan