Overview

For a summary of current projects, see:

Project listing

  • AHP Development Corporation Amisk Hydroelectric Project

    Latest Update: Mar 7, 2016

    Responsible Director: Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
    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 #: 001-00387094

    Proposal 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.

  • Special Areas Water Supply Project

    Latest Update: June 22, 2018

    Responsible Director: Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
    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 #: TBD

    The 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.

  • Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir Project

    Latest Update: February 3, 2021

    Responsible Director: Alberta Environment and Protected Areas

    Location: approximately 11 km west of Calgary
    Township 24, Range 4, W5M
    Municipality: Rocky View County
    Activity Type: Water Management
    File #: 387101
    NRCB Application #: 1701

    Proposal 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, updated information submitted.

    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 that the EIA report is complete pursuant to section 53 of EPEA. The review took 148 weeks.

  • 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, 001-00403431

    Proposal 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.

  • 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#: 1909112

    Proposal 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.

  • 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 #: 1917507

    Canadian 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.

  • Castle Mountain Resort Inc. Future Development

    Latest Update: November 6, 2019

    Responsible Director: Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
    Location: Approximately 45 kilometres southwest of Pincher Creek
    Township 4, Range 4, W5M
    Municipality: Pincher Creek #9
    Activity Type: Recreation
    File #: TBD

    Castle 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.

  • 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: Coal

    Coalspur 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.

  • 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#: 010-00047679

    Montem 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.

  • 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#: 1914617

    The 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.

  • St. Mary River Irrigation District

    Latest Update: November 15, 2022

    Responsible Director: Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
    Location: approximately 30 km east of Lethbridge, 15 km south of Taber
    Township 7, Range 15, W4M
    Municipalities: MD of Taber, County of Lethbridge
    Activity Type: Water Management
    File #: TBD

    Chin Reservoir is an off-stream storage reservoir that is located roughly in the middle of St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID) irrigation network. The existing reservoir is located in Lethbridge County, the County of Warner, and the Municipal District of Taber, between NE-27-8-18-4 and SE-26-7-16-4. It is the largest off-stream reservoir within SMRID with a storage volume of 154,320 acre-foot. Chin Reservoir is located in a major glacial melt coulee known as Chin Coulee. The reservoir is impounded by two dams on its east and west ends: Chin 1 (West Dam), and Chin 2 (East Dam). The two dams were completed in 1955 and no major modifications have been completed since their construction.

    The Chin Reservoir Expansion Project involves the construction of a new dam which would result in a larger reservoir. The new dam would be approximately 40 meters (m) in height and would inundate (flood) approximately 650 hectares (ha) of privately held land within Chin Coulee.

    Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:

    • EIA Required Letter
    • Project Summary Table and Maps
    • Proposed Terms of Reference
    • PTOR Notice

    Project Stage: Proposed terms of reference are available for public comment. Comments are due to the Director by January 3, 2023.

  • Stone Creek Resorts Inc. Gondola Project

    Latest Update: November 15, 2022

    Responsible Director: Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
    Location: Town of Canmore and Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park
    Township 25, Range 10, W5M
    Municipalities: Municipal District of Bighorn
    Activity Type: Recreation
    File #: TBD

    Stone Creek Resorts Inc. is proposing to construct and operate an aerial passenger ropeway system (gondola) along with a day lodge, trail networks, viewing platforms, suspension bridge and associated utility services infrastructure (the Project) as part of the Silvertip Integrated Village Resort located in Canmore, Alberta.

    The proposed passenger aerial gondola would connect the base area of the Silvertip Resort to an upper terminal on the summit ridge of Mount Lady MacDonald, via a mid-station integrated with the Silvertip Resort Village. The Project spans lands administered by three jurisdictions: Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park, public land, and land within the Town of Canmore.

    Documents included on the Open Government Portal record are:

    • Screening Required Letter
    • Voluntary EIA Letter
    • EIA Required and Review by the NRCB
    • Letter to Stone Creek
    • Project Summary Table
    • Map
    • Proposed Terms of Reference
    • PTOR Notice
    • Public comments on PTOR

    Project Stage: Alberta Environment and Protected Areas is preparing final terms of reference.

  • 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: Mine

    The 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.

  • 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 #: 1907303

    Proposal 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.

  • 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 #: TBD

    Value 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 and historical environmental impact assessments (EIAs) search Environmental Impact Assessment and the respective project or company name in the Open Government Portal:

Current and many historical EIAs can also be viewed and downloaded. To view a list of available EIAs, copy the link and paste into Windows File Explorer:

Contact

Connect with Environmental Assessment for further details on the Environmental Assessment process or to report issues with this website:

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Phone: 780-427-5828
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