"Alberta To Toughen Oil Sands Emission Rules That Reward Big Polluters

"The province of Alberta will toughen its greenhouse gas emissions standards for oil sands mines, closing a loophole that rewarded some of Canada’s highest-emitting facilities with millions of dollars’ worth of tradeable credits, its environment ministry told Reuters.

Alberta is updating industry benchmarks that set emissions reduction requirements per unit of production for mines and upgraders, the ministry said. Canada's oil sands produce some of the world's most carbon-intense crude.

The country's largest oil-producing province has already raised the stringency of facility-based benchmarks, a second way that the government sets emissions standards for industrial sites, according to the ministry."

Rod Nickel reports for Reuters February 14, 2022.