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CARBONCopy FACT SHEET PREVENTING OIL SANDS FEVER IN SASKATCHEWAN Saskatchewan’s Opportunity Province can learn from mistakes of its western neighbour The general public doesn’t as much as 2.3 billion barrels of emissions, major impacts to forests think of Saskatchewan bitumen. Oil sands developers and wildlife, and concerns about have leased land there and they water use and contamination. when it hears “oil sands,” are proceeding with exploration but commercial and To date, oil sands exploration is tak- and development. ing place in northwestern Saskatch- government interests want Because Saskatchewan’s oil sands ewan north of La Loche. Exploration to develop our substantial deposits are too deep for surface has proceeded in the absence of a bitumen reserves. mining, oil sands development in regional land use plan and before Saskatchewan will likely use in situ regional environmental monitoring Although Alberta’s oil sands have (“in place”) methods. In situ oil is in place or rules to protect air, received most of the Canadian and sands development comes with a land and water have been identified. international attention, an estimated host of environmental impacts that Saskatchewan is not currently 27,000 square kilometres of north- must be carefully managed, includ- equipped to ensure that oil sands western Saskatchewan – an area ing very high greenhouse gas development proceeds responsibly. larger than Lake Erie – could hold L Up to 27,000 square kilometres of northwestern Saskatchewan could be subjected to oil sands development. PHOTO: DAVID DODGE, THE PEMBINA INSTITUTE Saskatchewan lags on climate change action Oil Sands Impacts in Heading in the wrong direction Saskatchewan: large on greenhouse gases Saskatchewan’s annual greenhouse gas and growing emissions were 72 million tonnes in 2007. The provincial population was T An estimated 27,000 square kilometres of around a million people in that year, northwestern Saskatchewan – an area larger than Lake Erie – has some level of oil sands which means Saskatchewan’s emissions potential. were about 72 tonnes per person – T Oil sands dispositions have been granted three times the Canadian average. prior to environmental assessment or land-use planning in northwestern Saskatchewan M Saskatchewan’s greenhouse gas emissions are three times higher T Saskatchewan has the highest per capita per person than the Canadian average. SOURCE: THE PEMBINA INSTITUTE greenhouse gas emissions of any province in Canada. Greenhouse gas pollution will rise with oil sands development. T The people of Saskatchewan have not been adequately consulted on their vision for oil sands development in the province. T Saskatchewan has the opportunity to avoid the mistakes made in developing the oil sands in Alberta. T Already, more than 200,000 tonnes of acid producing sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released each year from oil sands operations in Alberta. Over two thirds of that pollution is blown on the winds into Saskatchewan where it lands on lakes and forests. Saskatchewan’s per person greenhouse gas emissions are so high that if Saskatchewan were a country, it would have the third-highest per-capita emissions in the world. This is even before the increased greenhouse gas pollution that can be expected from oil sands development. Oil sands production is taking us in the opposite direction to the international consensus about the need to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. Oil sands operations using in situ methods are even more greenhouse intensive than oil sands L The Clearwater River Wilderness Park protects mining because of their higher energy requirements. They 2,000 square kilometres of northwestern create about three to five times more emissions per barrel Saskatchewan, but many other ecologically than conventional oil production in North America. important lands Oil are vulnerable to Canada has no regulations in place to reduce greenhouse development. gas pollution, and Saskatchewan recently weakened its own PHOTO: CHURCHILL RIVER SAFeverNDS CANOE OUTFITTERS greenhouse gas management plan so that emissions in SERIES Saskatchewan will continue to rise. L Acid rain kills fish and puts Saskatchewan’s world-class lakes and forests at risk. PHOTO: HELENE WALSH Acid rain is falling on northern Saskatchewan Acidifying emissions blown in from Alberta oil sands Acid rain is already falling in northern Saskatchewan, and it is coming from the oil sands. More than 200,000 tonnes of Nuclear Power acid producing sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide pollution and the Oil Sands are released each year from the oil sands operations in Alberta. Oil sands development in Over two thirds of that pollution is Saskatchewan’s forest soils are more both Alberta and Saskatch- blown on the winds into Saskatchewan. sensitive to acid than anywhere else ewan is pushing the drive Acidification of lakes kills fish and places in Canada. towards another controversy – Saskatchewan’s world-class lakes and the proposed construction of The Government of Canada has impor- one or more nuclear reactors forests at risk. tant jurisdiction in oil sands environ- in Saskatchewan. Bruce To date, lakes in northwest Saskatchewan mental management when it comes to Power, an Ontario-based are still considered to be healthy, with a protecting Saskatchewan from down- nuclear reactor operator, is seeking provincial govern- pH level that is generally stream and downwind ment approval for reactor between 6.0 and 7.0. impacts from oil sands. construction in Saskatchewan, However, there is rain Unfortunately it has in part to supply electricity to and snow falling on these failed to act, leaving the Alberta oil sands. lakes with a pH of Saskatchewan vulnerable In addition to unresolved between 4.0 and 5.0 – to the airborne pollutants concerns about safety and a level that Environment from Alberta’s oil sands. storage of nuclear waste, nuclear reactor construction Canada considers acid projects have a history rain, and the pollution of design problems and from Alberta is increas- L Saskatchewan’s significant cost overruns, forests are particularly which would result in large ing. To make matters sensitive to acid rain. worse, northern increases in power rates. PHOTO: X. FANG In situ oil sands projects in Alberta have major impacts on the landscape. Summary of recommendations While there are short-term job and revenue benefits from oil sands activity, there are also substantial risks that have not been adequately explored in Saskatchewan. VID DODGE, THE PEMBINA INSTITUTE Want more information? What is needed to make sure Saskatchewan “does it right”? PHOTO: DA 1. Suspend the granting of oil sands dispositions and For more information and a complete list of approvals. We recommend a pause on oil sands lease recommendations, download our full report sales and development approvals while public consulta- Carbon Copy: Preventing Oil Sands Fever tions on oil sands development occur. If oil sands devel- in Saskatchewan. It is available from opment is supported by the people of Saskatchewan, www.oilsandswatch.org, www.cpaws.org, and a further pause would be necessary until a set of condi- www.environmentalsociety.ca. tions are put in place aimed at minimizing environmen- tal damage while ensuring maximum economic benefits This report was prepared by Peter Prebble for the people of Saskatchewan – most particularly the and Ann Coxworth of the Saskatchewan people of northern Saskatchewan. Environmental Society, Terra Simieritsch, Simon Dyer and Marc Huot of the Pembina 2. Ask the people of Saskatchewan. We recommend that Institute, and Helene Walsh of the Canadian the Government of Saskatchewan complete a province- Parks and Wilderness Society. wide public consultation on the prospect of developing Saskatchewan’s oil sands resources. It should engage the people of Saskatchewan in a meaningful public dialogue Saskatchewan’s Opportunity: on their expectations about whether and how to develop Saskatchewan’s oil sands resource. Leader or Follower? 3. Make sure the appropriate rules are in place. If the Alberta represents a cautionary example people of Saskatchewan support oil sands development, of how mismanagement of oil sands devel- the responsible development of that resource would opment can have significant environmental require a number of significant policy changes and and social impacts. In Alberta oil sands development outpaced environmental man- improvements to environmental management and agement, and the Governments of Alberta monitoring. and Canada are still struggling to catch • Set real greenhouse gas reduction targets. up. Saskatchewan has the opportunity to ensure that if oil sands development • Complete the protected areas network in proceeds, it occurs in an environmentally northwestern Saskatchewan. responsible manner and in the best inter- ests of the citizens of Saskatchewan. • Develop a royalty regime that maximizes benefits to the owners of the resource, the Saskatchewan Saskatchewan stands at the crossroads. Will Saskatchewan learn from the mistakes public. of its western neighbour, or will develop- • It also includes the federal and provincial govern- ment of oil sands in Saskatchewan be ment genuinely fulfilling their duty to full consulta- characterized by the same feverish rush and lack of planning that defined oil sands tion with First Nations and Métis peoples. development in Alberta? AUGUST 2009.

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