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Overview
For a summary of current projects, see:
Project listing
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AHP Development Corporation Amisk Hydroelectric Project
Latest Update: Mar 7, 2016
Responsible Director: Alberta Environment and Parks
Location: on the Peace River, approximately 15 km upstream of Dunvegan
Township 80, Range 6, W6M
Municipality: Saddle Hills County, Clear Hills County, MD of Fairview No. 136,
MD of Spirit River No. 133.
Activity Type: Power Plant
File #: 001-00387094Proposal for a 330 megawatt hydroelectric project located on the Peace River, approximately 15 km upstream of Dunvegan, Alberta in northwestern Alberta. Project components would consist of a powerhouse, spillway, headpond, fish passage, access roads, connecting transmission line and substation and other construction related components (for example: cofferdams, quarries, camp, laydown areas, etc.)
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) Required Letter
- Project Summary Table
- Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference (PTOR)
- PTOR Notice
- Public Comments on PTOR - 17
- Final Terms of Reference (FTOR)
- FTOR Notice
Canadian Environmental Assessment Archives (CEAA) information can be found at:
Project Stage: Final Terms of Reference were issued for this project on February 3, 2016.
Awaiting submission of the EIA/Application.
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Alberta Transportation Special Areas Water Supply Project
Latest Update: June 22, 2018
Responsible Director: Alberta Environment and Parks
Location: east-central Alberta
Townships 27-38, Ranges 1-22, W4M
Municipalities: County of Stettler, County of Paintearth, and Special Areas 2, 3 and 4
Activity Type: Water Management
File #: TBDThe Special Areas Water Supply Project is a multi-purpose water supply project that would divert water from the Red Deer River to a large area in east-central Alberta, including the Special Areas. The proposed project consists of a pump station and pipeline to divert water from the Red Deer River southwest of Stettler through a 97.5 kilometre pipeline to a storage reservoir at the headwaters of Sounding and Berry creeks at the north western boundary of the Special Areas. Water would be distributed within the Sounding and Berry Creek basins through existing streams, improved natural channels, and canals. A number of multi-purpose reservoirs would store and release water throughout the system.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- EIA Required Letter
- Project Description
- Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference
- PTOR Notice
- Public Comments on PTOR - 7
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
Project Stage: The final terms of reference were issued for this project on March 22, 2018.
Awaiting submission of the EIA/Application.
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Alberta Transportation Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir Project
Latest Update: February 3, 2021
Responsible Director: Alberta Environment and Parks
Location: approximately 11 km west of Calgary
Township 24, Range 4, W5M
Municipality: Rocky View County
Activity Type: Water Management
File #: 387101
NRCB Application #: 1701Proposal to divert extreme flood flow from the Elbow River into an off-stream reservoir where it would be temporarily contained and later released back into the Elbow River after the flood peak has passed.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Required Letter
- Project Summary Table – Revised
- Map - Revised
- Proposed Terms of Reference – Revised
- PTOR Notice
- Public Comments on PTOR – 12
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
- Public Notice
- EIA Complete Letter (February 3, 2021)
- Letter to Proponent
The EIA report and associated documents can be found at:
CEAA information can be found at:
NRCB information can be found at:
Project Stage: The EIA report was submitted October 2017. Requests for supplemental information were requested on November 30, 2017 and July 23, 2018. On March 28, 2018 and June 14, 2019, Alberta Transportation submitted updated information.
Request for additional supplemental information were sent November 18, 2019 and November 4, 2020. Supplemental responses were received April 7, May 15, June 23 and December 16, 2020.
On February 4, 2021, the designated Director of Environmental Assessment notified Alberta Transportation that the EIA report is complete pursuant to section 53 of EPEA. The review took 148 weeks.
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Benga Mining Limited Grassy Mountain Coal Project
Latest Update: June 25, 2020
Responsible Director: Alberta Energy Regulator (AER)
Location: approximately 7 km north of Blairmore
Townships 8 & 9, Ranges 3 & 4, W5M
Municipalities: Ranchland, Crowsnest Pass
Activity Type: Coal
CCA Appl#: 1844520, 1902073
EPEA Appl#: 001-00403427
WA Appl#: 001-00403428, 001-00403429, 001-00403430, 001-00403431Proposal to construct and operate an open-pit metallurgical coal mine with production capacity of a maximum of four million tonnes of clean coal per year, over a mine-life of about 25 years.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- EIA Required Letter
- Project Summary Table and Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference
- PTOR Notice
- Public Comments on PTOR - 6
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
- Public Notice Update
- Major Deficiencies Letter
- Major Deficiencies Letter Addendum
- Public Notice
The EIA report and associated documents can be found at:
CEAA information can be found at:
AER information can be found at:
Project Stage: The EIA report and applications were originally submitted November 2015. The AER completed a preliminary review of the environmental assessment report and determined on January 25, 2016 that Benga needed to address a number of major deficiencies before the review could continue.
On October 25, 2017, Benga Mining Limited submitted updated applications and EIA report. An addendum was also submitted November 9, 2017. Requests for supplemental information were sent by the AER on December 20, 2017 and August 10, 2018.
A Joint Review Panel was established on August 16, 2018.
Requests for further supplemental information were sent by the Joint Review Panel between March 2019 and May 2020. A total of 12 addenda were submitted by Benga.
On June 25, 2020, the Joint Review Panel notified the company that the EIA report is complete pursuant to section 53 of EPEA. The review took 138 weeks.
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Canadian Natural Resources Limited Horizon North Pit Extension
Latest Update: April 7, 2020
Responsible Director: Alberta Energy Regulator
Location: 70 kilometres north of Fort McMurray and approximately 20.5 kilometres north of Fort McKay
Townships 96 & 97, Ranges 11 & 12, W4M
Municipalities: Wood Buffalo
Activity Type: Mine
EPEA Appl#: 012-00149968
WA Appl#: 001-00413940, 025-00201931
OSCA Appl#: 1909112Proposal to develop a northeast mine pit extension (NPE Project) to sustain production rates of the approved North Mine Pit at the Horizon Oil Sands Processing Plant and Mine. The project is expected to include the following changes to the Horizon Mine: extension of the approved north mine pit to include the NPE Project area (1,015 ha); additional overburden storage areas (2,396 ha); and updated closure and reclamation plans.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- EIA Required Letter
- Project Summary Table
- Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference
- PTOR Notice
- Public Comments on PTOR - 6
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
- Public Notice
- EIA Complete Letter
The EIA report and associated documents can be found at:
AER information can be found at:
Project Stage: The EIA report was submitted April 30, 2018.
Requests for supplemental information were sent on August 30, December 18, 2018, and February 3, 2020. The company submitted supplemental information on October 20, 2018, January 31, July 4, November 29, 2019 and March 3, 2020.
On April 7, 2020, the designated Director of Environmental Assessment notified the company that the EIA report is complete pursuant to section 53 of EPEA. The review took 101 weeks.
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Canadian Natural Resources Limited (formerly Devon Canada Corporation) Pike 2 Project
Latest Update: March 5, 2020
Responsible Director: Alberta Energy Regulator
Location: approximately 40 km southeast of Conklin
Townships 73 & 74, Ranges 4-6, W4M
Municipalities: Lac La Biche County
Activity Type: In-Situ
Integrated Application #: 1917507Canadian Natural is proposing a new in situ oil sands project in the Southern Athabasca Oil Sands region. To recover bitumen resources from the McMurray formation, steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) technology and diluent co-injection and cogeneration will be employed. The Project will include a central processing facility (CPF), well pads, source water and disposal well sites, pipelines, roads and power lines. The Project is expected to produce up to 70,000 barrels per day (bpd) of bitumen.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- EIA Required Letter
- Project Summary Table
- Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference
- PTOR Notice
- Public Comments on PTOR – 5
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
- Public Notice
- EIA Complete Letter
The EIA report and associated documents can be found at:
AER information can be found at:
Project Stage: The EIA report was submitted by Devon Canada Corporation on December 19, 2018. On June 27, 2019, Canadian Natural Resources Limited acquired the assets of Devon Canada Corporation. Requests for further information were sent to the company on March 22, July 10, August 26 and December 6, 2019. Canadian Natural submitted supplemental information in May 6, July 30 and August 29, 2019, and on January 24, 2020.
On March 5, 2020, the designated Director of Environmental Assessment notified the company that the EIA report is complete pursuant to section 53 of EPEA. The review took 61 weeks.
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Castle Mountain Resort Inc. Future Development
Latest Update: November 6, 2019
Responsible Director: Alberta Environment and Parks
Location: Approximately 45 kilometres southwest of Pincher Creek
Township 4, Range 4, W5M
Municipality: Pincher Creek #9
Activity Type: Recreation
File #: TBDCastle Mountain Resort Inc. is proposing an expansion of their winter ski and snowboard resort to include summer activities, increase winter activities and develop additional base area facilities to accommodate a larger number of visitors.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- Screening Required Letter
- Notice of Further Assessment
- Disclosure Document
- Statements of Concern
- Screening Report
Project Stage: The Director has considered advice received from government agencies and statements of concern received from the public and has issued a screening report outlining the decision to require Castle Mountain Resort Inc. to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment for their Master Development Plan.
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Coalspur Mines (Operations) Ltd. Vista Coal Mine Phase II Project
Latest Update: July 2, 2019
Responsible Director: Alberta Energy Regulator (AER)
Location: 3.5 km east of Hinton
Township 51, Ranges 23 and 24, W5M
Municipalities: Yellowhead County
Activity Type: CoalCoalspur is proposing an expansion of their approved Vista Coal Mine and would operate the mine as one complex with potential to increase the average annual production by approximately 4.2 million tonnes. The Vista Coal Mine – Phase II would be a westward continuation of the existing open pit surface coal mine to recover the same Val d’Or, McLeod and McPherson seams, using the same methods and infrastructure. The mined coal would be transported by rail to west coast ports, then shipped via ocean vessels to foreign markets.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- EIA Required Letter
- Project Summary Table and Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference
- PTOR Notice
- Public comments on PTOR - 2
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
Project Stage: Final Terms of Reference were issued for this project on June 18, 2019.
Awaiting submission of the EIA/Application.
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Montem Resources Alberta Operations Ltd. Tent Mountain Project
Latest Update: July 5, 2021
Responsible Director: Alberta Energy Regulator (AER)
Location: approximately 16 km west of Coleman
Townships 7 & 8, Ranges 5 & 6, W5M
Municipalities: Crowsnest Pass
Activity Type: Coal
EPEA Appl#: 010-00047679Montem Resources Alberta Operations Ltd. (Montem), a wholly owned subsidiary of Montem Resources Corp., is proposing to develop the Tent Mountain Project (the Project). The Project would include a surface coal mine, a coal preparation plant and associated infrastructure including a coal conveyor system and a rail load-out facility. The total project area would be confined to the existing Mine Permit area of 750 hectares and the mine production would average 1.2 million tonnes of metallurgical coal per year.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- EIA Required Letter – Mine
- EIA Required Letter – Mine and Coal Processing Plant
- Project Summary Table
- Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference
- PTOR Notice
- PTOR Comments – 33
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
Project Stage: Final Terms of Reference were issued for this project on May 26, 2021.
Awaiting submission of the EIA/Application.
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Pembina Gas Services Ltd. Two Lakes Sour Gas Processing Facility
Latest Update: June 7, 2019
Responsible Director: Alberta Energy Regulator
Location: Approximately 45 km southwest of Grande Prairie
Township 68, Range 9, W6M
Municipality: Municipal District of Greenview No. 16
Activity Type: Sour Gas Processing Facility
EPEA Appl#: 001-00422581
OGCA Appl#: 1914617The project is a sour gas processing facility capable of processing up to 200 million cubic feet per day of raw sour inlet gas containing up to 8% H2S. The proposal is to take in sour gas from the surrounding area and produce sales gas (methane), natural gas liquids (NGLs – used to make ethane, propane and butane), and condensate. The Project includes a raw gas, hydrocarbon liquids inlet; produced water separation and handling processing unit; an amine sweetening unit; a gas processing and NGL recovery unit; a sulphur recovery unit to create liquid sulphur from recovered H2S; a condensate stabilization processing unit; and natural gas compression for sweet sales gas.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- EIA Required Letter
- Project Summary Table
- Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference
- PTOR Notice
- Public Comments on PTOR - 2
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
- Public Notice
- EIA Complete Letter
The EIA report and associated documents can be found at:
OGCA information can be found at:
Project Stage: The EIA report and applications were submitted October 2018. Requests for supplemental information were sent on January 28 and April 26, 2019. The company submitted supplemental information on February 15, March 15 and May 3, 2019.
On June 7, 2019, the designated Director of Environmental Assessment notified the company that the EIA report is complete pursuant to section 53 of EPEA. The review took 32 weeks.
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Suncor Energy Inc. Base Mine Extension Project
Latest Update: July 5, 2021
Responsible Director: Alberta Energy Regulator
Location: adjacent to Base Plant and north of the city of Fort McMurray
Townships 90-92, Ranges 9-11, W4M
Municipalities: Wood Buffalo
Activity Type: MineThe Project consists of an oil sand mine and associated activities as an extension of the Base Plant operation near Fort McMurray, Alberta. The Project includes an open pit mining operation supplying oil sands to new bitumen froth production facilities (primary extraction). Bitumen froth would be delivered by pipeline to Base Plant for further processing, including secondary extraction and upgrading into various product blends for market. Further integration between the Project and Base Plant includes utilities and water systems. There would be external and in-pit tailings areas on the Project footprint. These facilities would be constructed with a combination of overburden and coarse tailings deposits. These areas, which provide off-stream storage of water that is recycled, would be the final location for coarse tailings deposits and treated fluid tailings deposits. The Project is expected to produce up to 80 million barrels per year (nominally 225,000 barrels per day) of bitumen froth during its estimated 25-year operational life.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- EIA Required Letter
- Project Summary Table & Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference
- PTOR Notice
- PTOR Comments – 16
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
Project Stage: Final Terms of Reference were issued for this project on June 7, 2021.
Awaiting submission of the EIA/Application.
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Suncor Energy Inc. Lewis Project
Latest Update: March 6, 2020
Responsible Director: Alberta Energy Regulator
Location: approximately 25 kilometres northeast of Fort McMurray and 18 kilometres southeast of Fort McKay
Townships 91-93, Ranges 5-8, W4M
Municipality: Wood Buffalo
Activity Type: In-Situ
Integrated Application #: 1907303Proposal for in situ extraction with an estimated total bitumen production of 160,000 bpd and an operational life of up to 40 years. The project would be developed in four phases, supported by cogeneration of electricity to be constructed within the first two phases. Project components include gas fired steam generation including some cogeneration, water treatment and recycling, bitumen treatment, multi-well production pads, steam delivery pipelines, product recovery pipelines, local access roads, and borrow pits.
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- EIA Required Letter
- Project Summary Table and Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference
- PTOR Notice
- Public Comments on PTOR – 6
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
- Public Notice
- EIA Complete Letter
The EIA report and associated documents can be found at:
IAR information can be found at:
Project Stage: The EIA report and applications were submitted February 2018. Requests for supplemental information were sent June 18, December 17, 2018 and March 21, 2019. The company submitted supplemental information on October 31, 2018, February 4 and May 24, 2019.
On March 6, 2020, the designated Director of Environmental Assessment notified the company that the EIA report is complete pursuant to section 53 of EPEA. The review took 107 weeks.
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Value Chain Solutions Inc. VCS-Heartland Complex Expansion
Latest Update: March 27, 2020
Responsible Director: Alberta Energy Regulator
Location: northeast of Edmonton in the Industrial Heartland
Townships 56, Range 21, W4M
Municipality: Strathcona County
Activity Type: Upgrader
Integrated Application #: TBDValue Chain Solutions Inc. (“VCS”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Value Creation Inc., is proposing an Expansion to the previously approved Value Creation Inc.’s Heartland Oil Sands Processing Plant (Bitumen Upgrader and Refinery), named Value Chain Solutions-Heartland (“VCS-H”) Complex, formally Heartland Upgrader Project. The Expansion will increase the capacity of the approved VCS-H Complex in total of up to ~119,240 m3/day (~750,000 barrels per day).
Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:
- EIA Required Letter
- Project Summary Table
- Map
- Proposed Terms of Reference
- PTOR Notice
- Public Comments on PTOR – 2
- Final Terms of Reference
- FTOR Notice
Project Stage: Final Terms of Reference were issued for this project on March 10, 2020.
Awaiting submission of the EIA/Application.
Viewing EIAs
To view current or historical environmental impact assessments (EIAs), please see the Environmental Impact Assessments webpage or contact the respective company.
EIAs can also be viewed at the Alberta Government Library:
44 Capital Boulevard
11th Floor, 10044 108 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
Phone: 780-427-2985
Search the library catalogue:
When searching the catalogue use the term 'environmental impact' and the name of the project or proponent of the project.
Contact
Connect with Environmental Assessment for further details on the Environmental Assessment process or to report issues with this website:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-5828
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]
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