Alberta Landowners Guide, Surface Rights and Local Groups
 3rd edition | |
| Authors: | Duncan Kenyon, Nikki Way, Andrew Read, Barend Dronkers, Benjamin Israel, Binnu Jeyakumar, Nina Lothian |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Pembina Institute |
| Publish Date: | October 2016 |
| PDF Download: | [Landowners' Guide] [Landowners' Primer] |
| Initiation Phase | |
| Exploration Phase | |
| Development Phase | |
| Pipelines and Other Infrastructure | |
| Environmental Impacts | |
| Abandonment and Reclamation | |
| Compensation, Rights, and Hearings | |
| Appendices Alberta Energy Regulator Other Alberta Departments Other Resources Legal Assistance Energy Industry Associations Provincial Non-profit Organizations Surface Rights and Local Groups Responsible Energy Development Act AER Oil and Gas Related Legislation AER Energy Related Legislation Other Provincial Acts Documenting Costs Glossary of Terms | |
Contents
Synergy, Mutual Aid and Surface Rights Groups
There are a number of groups dealing with oil and gas issues at the local level.[1] Some are multi-stakeholder groups; others may be formed by one particular group, such as members of the public, who work together to bring their common interests to the attention of industry. Sometimes they are “one-issue” groups set up to deal with a particular application or problem. Such groups may later become inactive once the issue has been addressed. Other groups act on a more regional basis to deal with a variety of issues.
Some multi-stakeholder groups include industry, community and government
representatives working together to try to resolve issues. Such groups may be referred to
as “synergy” groups, since the groups aim to achieve greater effectiveness through
cooperation or combined action. They may focus on a variety of issues including health,
safety and emergency response; environmental issues; and community relations and
communications. Such synergy groups are encouraged by the AER, and the AER is often
an active participant in these groups.
Synergy Alberta
After many local and individually organized synergy meetings, Synergy Alberta was formed to actively promote collaboration between industry and other stakeholders. As long as public participation in a synergy group is meaningful and active — that is, not just for public relations purposes — and adequately resourced, these groups can play a valuable role in proactively addressing landowner and industry issues in a collaborative rather than a confrontational manner.
Synergy groups range from small, grassroots organizations to larger organization with
several staff members. Some synergy groups fulfill other roles, such as that of an airshed
group or mutual aid group. You can contact Synergy Alberta to inquire if there is a
synergy group in your area. Additionally, Synergy Alberta hosts an annual conference
for rural landowners, oil and gas companies, regulators, municipalities, stewardship
groups and a host of others to come together to share information and find ways to
collaborate.
- Synergy Alberta
- Phone: 780-461-1323 / 877-461-1323
- info@synergyalberta.ca
- www.synergyalberta.ca
Synergy Alberta maintains a directory of synergy groups on their website with up-to-
date contact information. Some examples of synergy groups listed in 2016:
- Battle Lake Synergy Group
- Butte Action Committee
- Calumet Synergy Association
- Central Mountainview Advisory Group
- Clearwater Trail Initiative
- Cochrane Pipeline Operators Committee
- Panther Advisory Group
- Pembina Area Synergy
- Rimbey Regional Synergy Group
- Vulcan Area Public & Petroleum Association
- Wapiti Area Synergy Partnership
- Waterton Advisory Group
- West Central Stakeholders Group
- Wetaskiwin Synergy Initiative
- Yellowhead Synergy Group
Mutual Aid Alberta
Mutual aid groups build a network of support and coordination for emergency management in Alberta. These groups actively work towards building relationships among industry partners and response partners, and provide assistance across jurisdictional boundaries in the case of an emergency. Mutual Aid Alberta is a provincial network that aims to provide a forum for mutual aid groups
- Mutual Aid Alberta
- info@mutualaidalberta.ca
- mutualaidalberta.ca
Some examples of the many local mutual aid groups that you can find through the
Mutual Aid website:
- C-REPP
- Chinchaga Mutual Aid
- Clearwater Mutual Aid Coop
- County of Mountainview Mutual Aid Group
- Edmonton Area Pipeline & Utility Operator's Committee
- Edson Mutual Aid Coop
- Foothills Mutual Aid Coop
- Hardisty Mutual Aid Plan
- Lacombe County Mutual Aid Organization
- Northeast Region Community Awareness Emergency Response
- Pembina Area Operator’s Group Mutual Aid Team
- RM of Wood Buffalo Mutual Aid
- Strathcona District Mutual Assistance Program
- Western Canadian Spill Services
Alberta Surface Rights Federation
The Alberta Surface Rights Federation works to improve the operation of all aspects of the energy industry as it affects landowners. The federation can provide names of local surface rights organizations and of experienced individuals who may be able to provide advice, with a list of surface rights groups on their website. They lobby government and the AER, and engage in multi-stakeholder processes.
The organization has a list of example addendums that you can consider adding when
negotiating your surface lease agreement, for topics such as club root, trespass, garbage
or waste, access to lease road, and other items of relevance.
- Alberta Surface Rights Federation
- webmaster@albertasurfacerights.ca
- www.albertasurfacerights.ca
The federation maintains a list of contact information for local surface rights groups.
Some examples of the many local surface rights groups that you can find through the
Alberta Surface Rights Federation Aid website:
- Battleford Trail Surface Rights
- Big Valley Landowner's Association
- Border Surface Rights Association
- Crestomere Surface Rights Association
- E.I.D. Landholders Association
- Eckville Surface Rights Association
- Elk Point Surface Rights
- Fairview Surface Rights Group
- Hussar Agricultural Surface Rights Association
- Lavista Area Group
- Livingstone Landowners Group
- North Central Surface Rights Association
- Paintearth Protection Association
- Pekisko Group
- Pembina & Area Natural Resources Advisory Group
- Pine Lake Surface Rights Group
- Red Water Surface Rights Group
- Round Hill-Dodds Agricultural Protection Association
- South Porcupine Hills Steward Association
- Starland #47 Surface Rights Group
- Surface Rights Society #52
- Three Hills Surface Rights Group
- Warburg-Pembina Surface Rights Group
- Wheatland Surface Rights Action Group
Alberta Water Council
Established in 2004, the Alberta Water Council is a multi-stakeholder partnership from governments, industry, and non-government organizations. Its primary task is to monitor and steward implementation of the Alberta’s Water for Life strategy and to champion achievement of the strategy’s three goals.[2]
- Alberta Water Council
- info@awchome.ca
- www.albertawatercouncil.ca
Watershed planning and advisory councils
Under Alberta's Water for Life Strategy, watershed planning and advisory councils (WPACs) are multi-stakeholder, non-profit organizations that assess the conditions of specific watersheds and develop plans and activities to address watershed issues.
- Alberta WPACs
- albertawpacs.ca
Individual councils that are members as of 2016:
Athabasca Watershed Council
|
Battle River Watershed Alliance | |
| Phone: 780-865-8223 | Phone: 780-672-0276 | |
| www.awc-wpac.ca | www.battleriverwatershed.ca | |
Beaver River Watershed Alliance
|
Bow River Basin Council | |
| Phone: 780-812-2182 / |
Phone: 403-268-4596 | |
| www.beaverriverwatershed.ca | www.brbc.ab.ca | |
Lesser Slave Watershed Council
|
Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance | |
| Phone: 780-523-9800 | www.mightypeacewater | |
| www.lswc.ca | ||
Milk River Watershed Council Canada
|
North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance | |
| Phone: 403-647-3808 | Phone: 780-442-6363 | |
| www.milkriverwater |
www.nswa.ab.ca | |
| Oldman Watershed Council | Red Deer River Watershed Alliance | |
| Phone: 403-382-4239 | Phone: 403-340-RDRW (340-7379) | |
| www.oldmanbasin.org | www.rdrwa.ca | |
South East Alberta Watershed Alliance
| ||
| Phone: 403-488-8110 | ||
| www.seawa.ca | ||
Other Relevant Local Groups and Committees
The following is a non-exhaustive list of other multi-stakeholder groups in Alberta. Some of these groups also are connected or collaborate with Synergy Alberta and Mutual Aid Alberta.
Strathcona County Energy Exploration Committee
This committee was set up by the Strathcona County Council in 2003 to identify issues and develop recommendations for policies and guidelines related to oil and gas activity within the municipality. The committee has a non-voting member of the county council in addition to voting members of the public.
- Strathcona County Energy Exploration Committee
- Contact: Lori Mills, Planning and Development Services
- Phone: 780-416-6739
- www.strathcona.ca (search for “Energy Exploration Committee”)
Lochend Industry Producers Group
The LIPG is a group of Calgary-based oil and gas companies that formed an alliance in 2011 after residents in the region raised concerns about the impacts of new hydraulic fracturing activity in the Lochend area north to Cochrane, Alberta. The group was formed to collaborate on oil and gas infrastructure for the purpose of reducing the cumulative impact.
- Lochend Industry Producers Group
- info@lipg.ca
- lipg.ca
Turner Valley Oil and Gas Group
The Turner Valley Oil and Gas Group (TVOGG) is a committee of representatives from the oil and gas industries,municipal and provincial governments, regulatory agencies, and emergency/disaster services that have interests within the towns of Turner Valley, Black Diamond and Longview and the MD of Foothills.
TVOGG aims to promote cooperation and communication between industry,
government, regulatory agencies and developers with respect to development near oil
and gas facilities; coordinated responses to public concerns about energy and oil and
gas activities; and education and awareness of oil and gas industry safety concerns such
as underground facilities.
Lakeland Industry Community Association
Lakeland Industry Community Association (LICA) was formed in 2000 to focus on issues in the Bonnyville, Cold Lake and St. Paul region. The association focuses on air, soil, and water monitoring, and operates the LICA airshed zone and the Beaver River Watershed Alliance as independent standing committees.
It has members from industry and the community, including the Aboriginal community.
Representatives from the AER also attend meetings. Although it functions as a synergy
group, it also serves other functions.
- Lakeland Industry Community Association
- Phone: 780-812-2182
- lica2@lica.ca
- lica.ca
Sundre Petroleum Operators Group
Sundre Petroleum Operators Group (SPOG) was set up in 1992 to facilitate understanding between the community and the oil and gas companies in the Sundre/Caroline area. Its mission is to facilitate communication and co-operation amongst primarily petroleum industry partners, regulatory agencies and the community. While it is an industry-funded group, it includes representatives from 25 community groups in the Sundre/Caroline area and from the AER in addition to 20 oil and gas and service companies. SPOG has working groups and committees that deal with a variety of issues, outlined on their website. Although it functions as a synergy group, it also serves other roles in the community.
SPOG publishes a summary of all new developments with SPOG boundaries in its new
development log, on the website.
- Sundre Petroleum Operators Group
- Phone: 888-878-2306
- admin@spog.ab.ca
- www.spog.ab.ca
Southwest Alberta Sustainable Community Initiative
SASCI aims to provide information and education and to facilitate public cooperation through a multi-stakeholder group for a sustainable economic, environmental and social future of southwestern Alberta. The group’s goal is to facilitate mutual understanding rather than to advocate for or against development.
- Southwest Alberta Sustainable Community Initiative
- sasci@telus.net
- www.sasci.ca
Life in the Heartland
Life in the Heartland is a collaborative initiative that began in 2009 by five different groups operating in Alberta’s industrial heartland, including Lamont County, Sturgeon County, Strathcona County, City of Fort Saskatchewan and City of Edmonton (specifically Horsehill Industrial area). It primarily provides information, contacts and resources to residents in and around the heartland. Based on resident feedback, it focuses on cumulative effects, risk management, air quality, traffic, noise, water quality and education.
The website lists the contact information for each of the partners of the organization,
and phone numbers for specific inquiries.
- Life in the Heartland
- info@lifeintheheartland.com
- lifeintheheartland.com
References
- ↑ This material is from the Pembina Institute publication 'Landowners' Guide to Oil and Gas Development, 3rd edition (2016)'
https://www.pembina.org/pub/landowners - ↑ Alberta Environment and Parks, “Water for Life.” http://www.waterforlife.alberta.ca/
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