MYTH: The Athabasca River freshwater supply will be depleted and polluted. FACT: The quality and quantity of freshwater in the Athabasca River is protected by regulations to ensure that it is not adversely impacted by oil sands development. Strict monitoring and regulation of water use is in place to ensure that fresh water resources are […]
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Myth vs. Fact: Athabasca River Freshwater Supply will be Depleted and Polluted
Myth vs. Fact: Tailing Ponds are a Threat to Local Wildlife
MYTH: Tailing ponds created during the oil sands mining process are a threat to local wildlife and have yet to be fully reclaimed despite promises made by the oil companies. FACT: Alberta law requires full reclamation of every mining site. All companies developing the oil sands must establish a reclamation plan that spans the life […]
Myth vs. Fact: Oil Sands Development Ruins Canada’s Boreal Forests
MYTH: Oil sands development is ruining Canada’s precious boreal forests and is destroying habitats for native animal populations like the caribou. FACT: Canada’s oil sands development has affected less than 0.2 percent of Alberta’s boreal forest[1]. The Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI), a non-profit organization created to monitor the impacts of oil sands development on […]
Myth vs. Fact: Canadian Oil Sands Development Increases Cancer Rates
MYTH: Canadian oil sands development has damaged the lives of thousands of indigenous people by increasing cancer rates as a result of carbon emissions and decimating pristine lands – making their traditional way of life almost impossible to continue. FACT: In its 2010 report on the oil sands[1], the Royal Society of Canada investigated health […]
Myth vs. Fact: Canadian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Regulations
MYTH: Canadian greenhouse gas emissions regulations are weak and ineffective and are not strong enough to control oil sands emissions. FACT: Unlike the United States’ other top five sources of importehttps://oilsandsfactcheck.org/files/category/myth-vs-fact-2/d crude oil, alberta has strict regulations of emissions and monitoring of air quality. according to government data[1], alberta was the first jurisdiction in north […]
Myth vs. Fact: Crude Oil is the Dirtiest Oil on Earth
MYTH: Crude oil derived from the oil sands is the “dirtiest oil on earth” and increasing its development means “game over for the climate.” FACT: Oil sands crude oil has similar characteristics to most heavy oils refined in the United States and its use will not have the catastrophic effect on climate that many opponents […]