Federal government sending clean drinking water to Alberta First Nations near Kearl tailings ponds
Posted March 20, 2023 1:38 pm.
Last Updated March 20, 2023 1:51 pm.
The federal government is sending clean drinking water to Alberta First Nations communities, near Imperial Oil’s Kearl tailings ponds — which has been seeping toxic water for months.
The company and the Alberta Energy Regulator did not immediately let nearby communities know until the contaminated water breached the ponds over land last month.
Although maintaining no bodies of water were impacted, the community has stopped drawing water from nearby rivers and lakes until it’s confirmed water tables are safe, feeling trust is broken.
RELATED:
- Federal environment minister says Alberta silence over oilsands spill ‘worrisome’
- Ottawa says Kearl leaks harmful to wildlife; issues order to stop seepage
- Federal and Alberta governments to study oilsands tailings leak communication
Along with drinking water, the feds are offering mental health support and a proposal for provincial, federal, and Indigenous working groups, to rebuild trust between industry and communities moving forward.
The nearby Mikisew First Nation is calling for more long-term action, like widespread monitoring of all tailing ponds.
The federal Minister of Environment is also calling to have Imperial Oil and the Alberta Energy Regulator testify before a committee, on how this happened without communications.
