Ministers Announce Joint Canada-Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring Plan

Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent and Alberta Environment and Water Minister Diane McQueen jointly announced today a new joint plan to improve environmental monitoring of the oil sands.

The three year plan for enhanceing air, water and biodiversity monitoring involves increased frequency of sampling, sampling for more contaminants, and more sampling locations.  Monitoring methodologies will also be improved.  All information will be made available to the public.  The monitoring program will also be subject to peer review. 

The program, which will be paid for by industry, will cost about $50 million.

The Alberta and Federal governments have also committed to working cooperatively over the next three years to implement a world class monitoring program for all aspects of the environment in the oil sands region.