Environment Committee on April 20th, 2023

[Helga Shield]

Yes, absolutely, we are covering the cost.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Can you repeat that, so that it's on the record?

[Helga Shield]

Yes, we are covering the costs.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Perfect.

We will now go to Mr. McLeod.

You have the floor for four minutes.

[Michael McLeod, Liberal, Northwest Territories, NT]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I have a quick question, because I think we can't have Imperial here without talking about the threat that still exists from the tailings ponds. As long as they exist, we're under the threat of leakage spills, and potentially more serious spills that could happen.

As a person who lived downstream from the Alberta tar sands, I've heard and had the reassurances all my life that this is not going to happen. “We have all the best technology and the best equipment. Everything works fine,” but here we are.

I have to ask if you could talk a bit about how you're going to address the longer-term reclamation of the tailings ponds that Imperial has. I think that's something that can't go on anymore. We don't have solutions. We have problems, and there are still tailings ponds permits being issued. I don't think that should happen.

Maybe you can talk about how you plan to do away with all of these huge tailings ponds that exist.

[Brad Corson]

First, with regard to the threat you mentioned, I would comment that it is our responsibility to mitigate that risk. We are working diligently to enhance the design features and the operation to ensure that we are prudently dealing with any seepage, and working to ensure that it does not in any way threaten or endanger the river systems.

In terms of long-term tails management—

[Michael McLeod, Liberal, Northwest Territories, NT]

Let me interrupt you.

It doesn't give me confidence when somebody sitting here who collected a $17-million salary and paid their directors $8 million in bonuses—and nobody was fired over this issue—tells me that they're working on it to make it safe. You're reassuring me. You have all of this responsibility for all of these tailing ponds.

I'm asking you how you are going to make sure that this doesn't end up.... How are you going to clean it up? That's what the question is.

[Brad Corson]

In terms of long-term reclamation, we have developed long-term reclamation plans for the tailings ponds. They're the subject of regulatory requirements, and we're obligated to provide updates on those every year. We believe we have a very responsible plan to deal with those tailings ponds at the end of their life so that we can reclaim them and return that land to a natural ecosystem.

We have gone to great lengths to collect up to 60 plant species so that we can ensure that when it's time to reclaim and restore, we can return the land to its natural condition. We have that responsibility and we're committed to fulfilling it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Madam Taylor Roy is next.

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

I just wanted to add something.

You mentioned that you had invited the communities in the area to come and see the pond. I think it would actually be a great idea for this committee to go and meet with you there to see what's going on. Maybe it's something we could discuss later. Clearly this is a very, very serious situation, one that has hugely impacted the surrounding Métis and first nations people, and I would suggest to the committee that we have a conversation at some point about actually going up to see this first-hand.

[Simon Younger]

We'll let the committee decide, but we would welcome that.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

As the member of Parliament for Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, I would like to officially welcome every single one of the members here to come up to Fort McMurray. I would love to take you for a tour and show you my hometown and the amazing industry that supports Canada's economy.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We are at the end of our meeting. I would like to point out that at the beginning of the meeting, the witnesses tabled documents on, I believe, the communications surrounding the incident we are considering.

I would like to thank Mr. Corson, Ms. Shield and Mr. Younger for accepting our invitation to appear and I wish them safe travels back to Alberta.

Thank you to everyone.

The meeting is adjourned.