In December of 2017, the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that renews each Government’s commitment to monitoring environmental impacts of oil sands development through the Oil Sands Monitoring Program (OSM Program). The MOU establishes the mutual intentions of both governments to continue to collaborate and be accountable for the design and implementation of an integrated monitoring, evaluation and reporting system. It also confirms the joint commitment to revise and establish, in cooperation with Indigenous Communities in the oil sands region, effective mechanisms for Indigenous participation in the design, implementation and governance of the monitoring system. This includes development of a comprehensive, ongoing agreement (the Operational Framework Agreement) that defines the governance and implementation model that will be used to guide the decision-making structure and processes, roles and responsibilities, and the monitoring, research mandate, and objectives of the OSM Program.
OSM Program Governance Structure
Technical Advisory Committees
The Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) are accountable for designing monitoring programs to address the priorities determined by the Oversight Committee. Technical Advisory Committees will report to the Science and Indigenous Integration Committee, and work with that committee to ensure monitoring is integrated between components. These Committees will also work with the Indigenous CBM Advisory Committee to identify and develop opportunities. Each Committee will develop work plans, identify delivery agents, direct analysis and ongoing evaluation of programs, and ensure that traditional knowledge and community-based monitoring are integrated where appropriate.
Technical Advisory Committees will be established for, but not limited to, the following program areas:
- Air & Atmospheric Monitoring (inclusive of deposition)
- Surface Water Monitoring (inclusive of quality, quantity and biological indicators)
- Ground Water Monitoring (inclusive of quality and quantity)
- Wetland Monitoring
- Terrestrial Biological Monitoring (inclusive of biodiversity)
- Data Management, Analytics and Prediction
The first two TACs to be established will be the Ground Water Monitoring and Terrestrial Biological Monitoring committees.
Expectations
Members will make every effort to prepare for and attend all meetings, understanding that each meeting builds on the work from the previous meetings, including decisions that have been made. If an alternate is attending, that alternate will be informed of progress to date and be prepared to move forward. Members of this committee will respect access to confidential and sensitive information which is presented and/or discussed at Committee meetings. Committee members are expected to raise concerns and issues at Committee meetings in order to address them at a programmatic level before pursuing alternative venues. Finally, it is understood that there will be the requirement for in- person meetings as the Agreement is implemented, but that with time members can move more to virtual meetings thereby allowing resources to be focused towards monitoring and communicating results
The Technical Advisory Committees will meet no less than four times per year or at a frequency determined by the Oversight Committee and in accordance with the Operational Framework Agreement timelines. Members will be selected to serve a maximum 3-year term allowing for a period of transitional overlap. Membership terms will also strive to be staggered.
The terms of ENGO expenses reimbursement and other stakeholder support have yet to be determined. It is expected that, at a minimum, travel expenses to in-person meetings will be covered.
In identifying membership of the Technical Advisory Committee, the following criteria will be considered:
- Expertise in a relevant technical discipline (air, land, water, biodiversity, wildlife, etc.)
- Expert in their field, holding a technical degree and/or professional expertise in a relevant discipline that is current
- Familiar with the region, oil sands and environmental monitoring
- Experience in governance and consensus decision-making
Please reply to [email protected] by Friday, December 14, 2018 providing:
- Contact information of applicant (including address, email, and phone number);
- The name of the AEN member-group(s) in-good-standing being represented by the applicant;
- A brief description of the applicant’s background and abilities, particularly those relevant to the selection criteria
