Chief Tuccaro, Facebook image
FORT McMURRAY, AB — Indigenous leaders and environmental groups are planning to gather in Fort McMurray on Friday to protest Alberta’s proposal to allow treated oil sands tailings water to be released into the province’s river systems.
The rally, organized by the Mikisew Cree First Nation and supported by environmental organizations including Keepers of the Water, will take place at Kiyām Park from 1 to 4 p.m. The event aims to raise awareness and call for meaningful consultation before any regulatory changes are made.
“Treat and release is not an acceptable option, and we will not stay idle in the face of decisions that threaten our health and integrity as a people,” said Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro of the Mikisew Cree First Nation in a statement ahead of the event. “Without a human health and ecological risk assessment for tailings management options, the data is not there to show this is safe.”
The protest follows new recommendations from Alberta’s Oil Sands Mine Water Steering Committee, which has suggested the province consider allowing treated tailings water to be released into the environment. The proposal has drawn criticism from Indigenous communities and environmental advocates, who argue the process remains unproven and could expose downstream communities to harmful contaminants.
Tailings ponds from oil sands operations contain a mix of toxic substances including naphthenic acids, heavy metals, and hydrocarbons. Currently, no oil sands operator in Alberta is permitted to release tailings water under federal or provincial law.
Jesse Cardinal, executive director of Keepers of the Water, said communities deserve a voice before any decision is made. “Communities that live downstream deserve clean water and a say in decisions that affect them,” she said.
The Mikisew Cree First Nation, based near Fort Chipewyan, has long raised concerns about pollution in the Peace-Athabasca Delta and the cumulative effects of oil sands development on human health. Studies have found elevated cancer rates in the community, prompting ongoing calls for stricter oversight of tailings management.
The Alberta government has said it continues to evaluate management options for oil sands tailings but has not yet approved any releases. Indigenous communities say no decision should move forward without full consultation and independent scientific review.
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