Tailings pond project funding announced by Government of Alberta

The Government of Alberta is giving several oilsands companies a total of $46 million to implement new technology to clean up tailings ponds.

The province’s environment minister, Grant Hunter, and other officials were on hand for the announcement at the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering.

The money will be divided among nine projects to advance oilsands mine water management and tailings pond reclamation.

The environment minister says tailings ponds were never meant to be a permanent solution, and new tech will help clean water and reclaim land.

“This is a completely safe, evidence-based approach and will help us keep doing what we do best, producing the most responsible, affordable and sustainable energy in the world,” said Hunter.

“Investments announced today will further enable Suncor and other oilsands mine operators to safely treat oilsands, mine water, tackle tailings, reclaim our mine sites and return the land,” said Peter Zebedee, Suncor executive vice-president, oilsands.

CNRL, Imperial and Suncor are among the biggest recipients of the money.

NAIT will get $1 million to create standards to measure treatment performance.