Monitoring your Air Quality 24/7

What is the WBEA?

The WBEA is a multi-stakeholder, consensus-based, not-for-profit organization that leads in state-of-the-art environmental monitoring to enable informed decision-making. The WBEA monitors the ambient air quality of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) 24 hours/day, 365 days/year.

Its environmental monitoring work is the most integrated and has the most intensive focus on air and deposition monitoring in any one area, anywhere in Canada. Originally established in the early 1980s, the WBEA was set up to address environmental concerns raised by the communities in the RMWB.

WBEA Organization Profile (.PDF)

The WBEA is...

A dynamic collaboration of communities, environmental groups, industry, governments, public stakeholders, and Indigenous partners.

The WBEA is...

An integral component of Alberta Environment and Protected Areas’ (EPA) and Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) regulatory compliance for member companies.

The WBEA is...

The operator of one of the most extensive air quality monitoring networks in North America with 29 permanent and portable air monitoring stations and 39 passive monitoring sites to date.

The WBEA is...

Comprised of monitoring programs that include ambient air, deposition, and ambient odours.

The WBEA is...

Committed to reporting accurate and timely high-quality data from its air monitoring programs to ensure regional stakeholders have the necessary information required to make informed environmental decisions.

The WBEA is...

Committed to engaging stakeholders and partners. The WBEA strives to increase interaction with the public through our website, social media, local advertising, trade shows, and other special event planning.

Vision

Empower all stakeholders and rights holders with environmental data to make informed decisions.

Mission

A multi-stakeholder, consensus-based organization providing world-class environmental monitoring and reporting.

Core Values

Scientifically independent
Recognize and respect Indigenous Knowledge
Transparent and timely in communicating accurate and accessible data
Dedicated to using best practices and technology
Support diverse stakeholder participation and consensus-based decisions

About the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB)

From north-central Alberta to the borders of Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) covers 61,778 square kilometres, making it the second largest municipality in Canada by area. It was established in 1995 through an amalgamation of the City of Fort McMurray and Improvement District No. 143. The Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) is within the municipality, and is the largest known reservoir of crude bitumen in the world and the largest of three major oil sands deposits in Alberta. The region encompasses the communities of Fort McMurray, Fort Chipewyan, Fort McKay, Fort Fitzgerald, Anzac, Janvier, Conklin, Draper, Gregoire Lake Estates, and Saprae Creek.

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Land Acknowledgement

The WBEA operates in nistawâyâw, which is Cree for “where three rivers meet,” and what we now call Fort McMurray. We understand and respectfully acknowledge that the WBEA and our members operate on Treaty 8 territory and the ancestral and traditional territories of the Dene and Cree Peoples, and in the Métis Homeland. We want to thank the 12 Indigenous community organizations who are Members of the WBEA for participating in and giving feedback on our monitoring programs.

We honour and respect the culture, language, stories, ceremonies, and history of the many nations whose traditions were established before Treaty. We also acknowledge that Treaty 8 was based on principles of law, respect, honesty, and acceptance, and has been described as a Treaty of peace, co-existence, and sharing. It is important to remember this and that we all have a responsibility to uphold the Treaties.

This region is now home to a diverse population of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. We encourage our members in different areas of the province and country to consider the land they are on and their relationship to it. We recognize that Indigenous peoples are the original stewards of this land, and were and are integral to the development of the WBEA.

History and Evolution of the WBEA

Even before the unprecedented growth of the oil sands industry in the Wood Buffalo region, it was concluded that an organization like the WBEA was necessary. The philosophies of the WBEA live in its grassroots, community-driven, multi-stakeholder membership’s shared values and commitment to consensus-based decision-making. Hover over the timeline below to see details about the WBEA’s history and evolution.

1983
1985
1990
1994
1996
1997
1998
2005
2011
2012
2014
2016
2017
2020
2022
2023
2025

1983
The organization was originally incorporated as the Alberta Oil Sands Industry Environmental Association and was established as a cooperative effort to pursue education and research to achieve environmental protection of air, land, water, vegetation, wildlife, and social values in the oil sands regions of Alberta. Its membership was comprised of representatives from industry with biology and engineering backgrounds.
1985
An Air Quality Task Force was established to address environmental concerns raised by the Fort McKay First Nation related to oil sands development. The Task Force described issues, established priorities, and recommended on-going dialogue and a consensus-based approach to air quality concerns.

Original Founding Members:
- Alberta Environment
- Fort McKay First Nation
- Fort McKay Métis Local #122
- Fort McMurray Environmental Association
- Syncrude Canada Ltd.
- Northern Lights Health Region
- Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development
- Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
- Suncor Energy Inc.
1990
The Air Quality Task Force became the Regional Air Quality Coordinating Committee (RAQCC) which prioritized regional air quality concerns and coordinated a program to manage air quality in the region.
1994
The Government of Alberta developed a regional approach to air quality monitoring under the umbrella of the Alberta Clean Air Strategic Alliance (CASA).
1996
The RAQCC was formally endorsed by the CASA as a regional Airshed.

Stakeholders first gathered and began developing the Forest Health Monitoring program.
1997
The RAQCC was reformed into a non-profit organization and assumed responsibility from industry and government for air quality monitoring in the Southern Wood Buffalo Zone.
1998
The organization adopted new bylaws and aligned its airshed with the boundaries of the RMWB, formally becoming the Wood Buffalo Environmental Association (WBEA). Capital costs were originally provided by Suncor Energy and Syncrude Canada Limited. Alberta Environment provided equipment on a long-term basis, as well as expertise and in-kind contributions.
2005
The WBEA implemented an ongoing Human Exposure Monitoring Program (HEMP).
2011
Environment Canada released the Integrated Monitoring Plan for the Oil Sands.
2012
The Governments of Canada and Alberta introduced the Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring (JOSM). The Plan built on a foundation of monitoring that was already in place, and was intended to enhance existing monitoring activities.
2014
JOSM formally became the Alberta Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Agency (AEMERA). The AEMERA was established to monitor, evaluate and report on key air, water, land and biodiversity indicators to better inform decision-making by policy makers, regulators, planners, researchers, communities, industries and the public.

The WBEA became a working partner of the AEMERA.
2016
With the dissolution of the AEMERA on June 30, 2016, the WBEA began working with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (EPA) and the Oil Sands Monitoring (OSM) Program to fulfill its mandate to provide independent ambient air monitoring in the region.
2017
Based on feedback from the public and its stakeholders, the WBEA transitioned the HEMP into the Community Odour Monitoring Program (COMP). The COMP App was also developed to collect odour observations from community members in the RMWB.
2020
The Air Quality Events (AQE) App was developed to better communicate exceedances of various thresholds being monitoring in the region.
2022
The WBEA’s Network Assessment Working Group was initiated following a request from a WBEA Member. The intent of the initiative was to re-examine the monitoring network’s core purposes, its technical configuration, outcomes, and consider future needs, as well as ensure that all WBEA Members have a shared understanding of the purpose and goals of the network.

The WBEA took a highly collaborative approach to the assessment and, over 19 months, engaged 36 representatives from the WBEA’s membership in ten workshop meetings.

Ten recommendations were developed and proposed for approval by the WBEA’s Ambient Air Technical Committee (AATC).

The assessment was completed in 2023, and the initiative won a Gold Impact Award in 2024 from the International Association of Facilitators to recognize the collaborative engagement process.
2023
The WBEA continued with its increased engagement efforts through the re-engagement of the Traditional Indigenous Knowledge Committee (TIKC) and the initiation of Forest Health Monitoring Workshops. The TIKC re-developed its Terms of Reference and the purpose of the Committee is to guide the WBEA’s current ambient air and atmospheric deposition monitoring programs to reflect Indigenous perspectives and to be inclusive of community members’ concerns, values, and priorities.
2025
The WBEA continues to work collaboratively with AEPA, the OSM Program, other jurisdictions, stakeholders, rightsholders, and partners to move the WBEA’s and OSM Program’s mandates forward.

WBEA Partnerships

The WBEA is fortunate to have formal partnerships with the provincial government and provincial organizations to ensure a shared approach to ambient air and deposition monitoring, as well as stakeholder engagement and education initiatives. The following sections highlight two partnerships: Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) and the Alberta Airsheds Council (AAC).

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) Oils Sands Monitoring Branch

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) is responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on key air, water, land, and biodiversity indicators. The mandate within the ministry is to provide open and transparent access to scientific data and information on the condition of Alberta’s environment, including specific indicators as well as cumulative effects, both provincially and in specific locations. The Oil Sands Monitoring (OSM) Program is a joint federal and provincial initiative between the Government of Alberta and Environment and Climate Change Canada. The mandate of the program is to implement an ambient environmental monitoring program in the oil sands region that integrates air, water, land, and biodiversity. The OSM Program strives to improve characterization of the state of the environment and enhance understanding of the cumulative effects of oil sands development.

The WBEA has entered into a contractual agreement with AEPA and acknowledges the financial support of the Oil Sands Monitoring Program. As a working partner, the WBEA is one of the agencies helping to ensure that the OSM Program is delivered with the best expertise possible.

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Alberta Airsheds Council (AAC)

The WBEA is a member of the Alberta Airsheds Council (AAC), which is a partnership of Alberta’s Airsheds and provides leadership in support of healthy air quality for Albertans and the environment.

Initiated in 2006, the AAC includes membership from all ten Airsheds in Alberta and was formed to represent the collective interests of this collaborative group.

The AAC provides a forum for Airsheds to work and learn together, to continue to advance effective and efficient air monitoring, reporting and outreach, and to address regional matters.

To view any of the Airshed’s websites, click on a region in the map and then click on the link provided.

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