Tar Sands

The Dirty Truth about Canada’s Tar Sands Industry

STOP & SHIFT

IT’S TIME TO STOP TAR SANDS INJUSTICES AND SHIFT TO A CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO STOP TAR SANDS INJUSTICES!

For immediate release
Alberta FOIP finds more than ducks killed on tar sands operations
8 April 2010 (Edmonton) — An information request has forced the Alberta government to reveal that in addition to the infamous dead ducks, 164 animals, including 27 bears, were killed between 2000 and 2008 on operations in the Alberta tar sands. Read the full Release by Sierra Club Prairie and Greenpeace Canada

Though the impacts of tar sands are reaching international scales, the Governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Canada continue to ignore the issues with constant attempts to justify their support for an industry that is a growing climate, water and human rights villain. The time is now, more than ever, for Canadians to unite and demand ACTION to stop the injustices of tar sands development.

Visit www.tarsandstimeout.ca to find out more, to get involved and to take action TODAY! and More information with Sierra Club Canada...

Climate Pollution
As the fastest growing source of Canada’s national green-house gas emissions, the tar sands MUST be included in any regulatory framework to address climate pollution. Extraction of dirty oil from the tar sands is 3 times as intensive as conventional oil and gas development. This assessment does not include the climate pollution caused by destroying the peatlands, bogs and wetlands that are significant carbon sinks and that cover much of the boreal land impacted by tar sands developments. As the industry is allowed to grow, so too are its emissions.

ACTION MUST BE TAKEN TODAY TO CAP THE INDUSTRIES GREENHOUSE GAS POLLUTION!

Water Contamination
There is growing evidence of significant water contamination from the tar sands mining and in situ project developments. Recent evidence shows elevated levels of cancer causing substances downstream from tar sands mines. Early research on impacts of deep tar sands extraction projects show concern over elevated levels of arsenic in groundwater. Contamination of ground and surface waters will have serious impacts on aquatic and human health - including elevated rates of cancers in impacted communities and in fish, and land species such as moose who rely on the water systems for their survival.

ACTION MUST BE TAKEN TODAY TO ENSURE CLEAN WATER!

Treaty Rights Violations
Over 40 years of tar sands development have violated the rights of the regions First Nations populations. Treaty rights provide the First Nations populations with the right to maintain their livlihood on their traditional lands (which includes the right to hunt, fish, and trap). Treaty rights ingrained an obligation of the national government to meaningfully consult with impacted First Nations communities BEFORE decisions to develop are made. Neither our provincial or federal governments are honouring these agreements and continue to violate our obligations to uphold the honour and intention of Treaty Agreements.

ACTION MUST BE TAKEN TODAY TO DEMAND THAT TREATY RIGHTS BE HONOURED AND UPHELD AND THAT FIRST NATIONS AND METIS COMMUNITIES BE MEANINGFULLY CONSULTED AND ACCOMMODATED BEFORE ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS ARE APPROVED.

...and the list could go on including boreal forest destruction, species at risk, acid rain contamination and intensifying air quality pollution.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! CANADIANS MUST NOW, MORE THAN EVER, UNITE TOGETHER AND DEMAND AN END TO TAR SANDS INJUSTICES TODAY!

Visit www.tarsandstimeout.ca to find out more, to get involved and to take action TODAY!

Lindsay also had a rare glimpse at the immense impact the Albera Tar Sands are having on the landscape. Click here to see the amazing photos she was able to take!

For more information see:

TAR SANDS ACTION GUIDE: A GUIDE TO ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY DURING, AND AFTER, THE OIL SANDS PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS
download pdf

MANAGING OIL SANDS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE LONG TERM:
A DECLARATION BY CANADA’S ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY
download pdf