Dead wildlife found at oilsands tailings pond in northern Alberta

The Alberta Energy Regulator is investigating after dozens of bird carcasses were discovered at an oilsands site near Fort McMurray, Alta.

A post on the AER website on Saturday afternoon said Suncor reported around 4 p.m. Friday that 32 dead waterfowl were found at a tailings pond 29 kilometres north of the community. An update from the regulator late that night said a sweep had been completed by Suncor on Saturday and revised the count to 43 birds as well as two muskrats, one bat and one vole.

An AER inspector was immediately sent to the site to investigate, the announcement said, to ensure mitigation strategies are in place and implemented appropriately by the energy company.

A spokesperson for Suncor said its wildlife team made the discovery during a regular, required check at the edge of a tailings pond at its base plant.

"Based on the wildlife's state, we believe this is not due to a recent event," spokesperson Erin Rees said in an email.

She said the company has a wildlife mitigation program in place to prevent operating harming wildlife, including a regulatory approved bird protection plan.

At the time of discovery, all bird deterrent systems — which includes canons, radar, and effigies — were active, Rees said.

Suncor has initiated its own investigation.

AER said it will continue to assess the situation and provide further updates as needed. 

The agency said it is working with Suncor, Alberta Environment and Parks as well as Environment Canada to ensure that all safety, wildlife and environment requirements are met during the response to the discovery.

Incidents of bird deaths at oilsands tailings ponds over the years include 50 birds that landed at an Imperial Oil tailings area near its Kearl oilsands project in northern Alberta in May 2020. Imperial said at the time it believed it occurred in spite of deterrents because most of the natural water bodies in the area were still frozen.

In January 2019, Syncrude was fined more than $2.7 million after pleading guilty to environmental charges in the deaths of 31 great blue herons at one of its oilsands mines north of Fort McMurray in 2015.

Syncrude was also fined $3 million in 2010 after more than 1,600 ducks died when they landed on a tailings pond in 2008.