McClelland Lake Decision Bad News for Alberta Wildlife, Vegetation, Rare Species and Climate
- Oanh Nguyễn
- Aug 2
- 2 min read
Originally published in the November 2023 issue of the WildFlower News
ENPS does not normally write about provincial conservation issues, but in this case we make an exception.
For decades the McClelland Lake Wetland Complex (MLWC), north of Fort McMurray, and some 60 sq. km of carbon-storing patterned fens and sinkhole lakes, has been targeted by ecologists and government staff for protection. It provides an important nursery and stopover for birds, including some rare species, contains 18 species of rare mosses and liverworts as well as rare orchids and aquatic plants, and is home to a variety of boreal wildlife. It is culturally significant to local Indigenous people. However, these long-term conservation plans changed when oilsands bitumen was found below the surface in 2002.
The current operator, Suncor Energy Ltd, is now proposing to develop a mine in roughly half of the MLWC, having submitted a mitigation* plan, the Operational Plan, designed to protect the other, unmined, half of the complex. It includes a 14-km- long underground wall, to separate the two halves, an unprecedented, untested measure.
The Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA) advocacy group has worked hard to oppose the project, employing local and international wetlands specialists to demonstrate flaws in the Operational Plan. AWA managed to persuade the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), who gave first approval of the plan in September, 2022, to reconsider its approval. Alas, we heard on November 23 that the AER has confirmed its approval of the Plan.
According to Phillip Meintzer, lead conservation specialist, AWA is awaiting information from their lawyers to see if there are any legal/regulatory avenues remaining to challenge the project.
For more information we invite readers to check out the following links:
https://naturealberta.ca/botanical-treasures-in-mcclelland/ and https://albertawilderness.ca/dontminemcclelland/
and their latest news release: https://albertawilderness.ca/news-release-alberta-energy-regulator-fails-albertans-by-ignoring-evidence-wont-reconsider-its-approval-of-suncors-flawed-operational-plan-for-mcclelland-wetlands/#DontMineMcClelland%20#ABLeg%20#CDNPoli%20#ABPoli
Editorial comment: It’s a testament to the dichotomy and perversity of human nature that we can have the interest and skills to understand the biological richness of the McClelland Lake Wetland Complex and at the same time be willing to ruin it for the sake of profit.
*The conservationist’s definition of mitigation: Making excuses that don’t work so that development can go ahead as planned!
Summarized by the editor, with files from Alberta Wilderness Association and Kate Spencer.
To learn more about patterned fens, visit Wetlands Alberta - https://wetlandsalberta.ca/media/uploads/BorealWetlands-Fens.pdf
