| Oilsands projects will have dire impact on wildlife say environmentalists
The Pembina Institute and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society have released a new report that looks at the impact in-situ oilsands projects will have on wildlife in northern Alberta, and the environmental groups paint a grim picture for animals in the area.
Oilsands deposits cover 21 per cent of Alberta – 81 per cent of the oilsands deposits are buried too deeply to be mined and in-situ technology is the only option. In-situ projects inject steam deep into the ground to liquefy oilsands deposits so they can be brought to the surface. Defenders of oilsands development often point out that in-situ is less environmentally damaging than mining. However, in-situ projects still require large-scale deforestation in order to build pipelines, roads and well sites.
The provincial government has already given out in-situ oilsands leases for an area the size of Vancouver Island and, if all the potential in-situ oilsands areas are leased out, the area will be the size of Florida. The report authors predict that in-situ projects will lead to the clearing of 300,000 hectares of forest and the construction of over 30,000 kilometres of road and 80 per cent of the remaining forest will be within 250 metres of a road, pipeline or wellsite.
The report predicts that if the entire area is developed it will lead to a "serious decline in regional biodiversity" because useable habitat will be "reduced to small, scattered islands" and some animals, such as Woodland Caribou, could completely disappear from the area.
"The prognosis is pretty clear that we’re going to see a significant loss in biodiversity if all these projects go ahead. The environmental impact assessments for the individual projects say the same thing – that there will be a local risk, but there will still be lots of boreal forest left. But no one is doing big picture research looking at the whole area," says Simon Dyer, one of the authors of the report. "It’s an area the size of Vancouver island right now. If we go ahead and lease every bit of deep oilsands… it could be devastating."
The report recommends that the government stop giving out oilsands leases and stop approving oilsands projects until a management plan is in place that protects the regional environment. The environmental groups would like to see a series of interconnected wildlife reserves established and limits established on how much cumulative industrial disturbance will be allowed in the area.
"I think there are big issues that need to be considered and we’re not seeing any kind of management response from the Alberta government," says Dyer.
Heritage successes awarded
The Calgary Heritage Authority’s Lion Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, August 3 at the Pumphouse Theatre at 7 p.m. and for the first time they are open to the general public.
The awards recognize citizens or groups "who have undertaken significant initiatives in support of heritage conservation and advocacy" in Calgary.
Awards will be handed out for restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive re-use of heritage buildings, compatible new design in a heritage context, community or neighbourhood revitalization, landscape preservation, heritage conservation advocacy, heritage publication, education, scholarship or exhibit, and for the first time an award will be given out in the category of heritage tradespeople and craftspersons.
"We want to raise the profile of built heritage in Calgary," says Dianne Abbott, chair of the Calgary Heritage Authority’s public awareness committee. "When people honour their built heritage then it’s almost like they take ownership of it and there’s a sense of pride."
Abbott says one of the biggest success stories recently was the renovation of the Grand Theatre by Theatre Junction.
"The Grand was slated for demolition. It was going to go down so it’s a success story… It’s the new home of Theatre Junction and they’re doing incredible things in there so it’s a very vital space," says Abbott.
Alberta Liberals call for CHR CEO’s resignation
Kevin Taft, leader of the Alberta Liberal party, is calling for the resignation of Jack Davis, head of the Calgary Health Region due to sometimes disastrous wait times in Calgary’s emergency rooms.
Taft cites mismanagement, budget cuts and lack of staff and facilities for the problems faced by the region since the ’90s.
"There have been serious and sometimes fatal problems in Calgary’s emergency rooms for many years," says Taft. "There have been well-documented deaths that have triggered fatality inquiries and a range of serious problems."
Taft accuses the provincial Tories of gutting the Calgary Health Care systems.
"We are experiencing the terrible consequences of that decision. Blowing up the Calgary General Hospital was a catastrophic mistake and somebody needs to be held responsible. Same with the Holy Cross."
The call for Davis’ resignation is partly in reaction to a 34-year-old Calgarian’s miscarriage in a waiting room at the Peter Lougheed Centre on July 18. |
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