Alberta’s Heavy Oil Industry Should Pay for Huge Fresh-Water Use

The heavy oil industry should pay for the huge volumes of fresh water it uses to tap Alberta’s rich oilsands reserves, says a report by an environmental think-tank.

The Pembina Institute report released Monday also calls for a moratorium on new oilsands mines until the Alberta government figures out how much fresh water the industry should be able to take in the face of climate change.

If the province and corporations fail to act, Alberta could run out of fresh drinking water long before it runs out of oil, said Pembina spokeswoman Mary Griffiths.
CBC News