"The Alberta Disadvantage: Toxic Emissions, Shoddy Science and Muzzled Voices in Alberta's Industrial Heartland"

Abstract

Alberta is reaping profits from its gas fields and tar sands but at what price to public health and the environment? Drive just forty-five minutes northeast of Edmonton and you enter the Alberta Industrial Heartland. Here, the North Saskatchewan River flows by numerous factories that are tied to AB's gas and oil boom. Three factories are built here because of the rich Redwater gas fields. Now the bitumen from the tarsands is shipped by pipeline down to this area to be processed, refined and used by the many industries that rely upon oil (e.g. pesticide manufacturing). Local residents are overwhelmed by the recent restructuring of their communities-vast areas now designated "industrial". The residents' lives are consumed by attending open houses for new industries that are moving into their communities, council meetings where "deals" are announced and sealed-usually with litle or no legitimate public consultation, and official inquiries where the industries present scientific data to document that there will not be any harmful emissions from their industrial processes. Local residents are skeptical about industry funded data, and intent and ability of government officials to monitor, investigate and regulate land use planning in this area and industrial emissions and accidents.