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Governance Structure

The WBEA’ s governance model is a blend of policy and representative board governance models. The size of the General Members Board (GM) and the geographical separation of Members can sometimes limit its ability to fulfill all appropriate governance functions in a timely and informed way. Therefore, the Governance Committee (GC), comprised of representatives from the GM, provides ongoing governance work in-line with directions and parameters set by the GM. The GM and GC provide strategic direction and oversight for the organization.

The diagram below depicts how the WBEA operates and shows the relationships between the GM, GC, Technical Committees, and the WBEA staff. The Technical Committees determine the strategic plans and direction for each of the WBEA’s monitoring programs. The Executive Director provides operational direction for the WBEA staff, engaging science and technical advisors as required, to ensure stewardship to the overarching direction set by the General Members Board and Governance Committee

WBEA Technical Committees

Technical Committees may be established to assist the GM, primarily to ensure the WBEA meets its overall objectives and goals, and to provide strategic direction for their respective monitoring programs. GM member organizations are invited to appoint representatives on each of the committees, as appropriate. Information about the Technical Committees can be requested by contacting the WBEA.

Currently five such committees fit this status:

The Ambient Air Technical Committee (AATC) is a core WBEA committee established in 1988. The AATC provides strategic direction on the operation and maintenance of the ambient air monitoring program to ensure credible, timely, and accurate collection of air quality data which is communicated to all WBEA stakeholders.

The Terrestrial Environmental Effects Monitoring (TEEM) Committee is a core WBEA committee established in 1996. The TEEM Committee provides strategic direction on the operation and maintenance of the TEEM program, also referred to as the Deposition program, a long-term, source-to-receptor monitoring program which aims to detect and characterize the effects of oil sands emissions on terrestrial ecosystems.

The Odour Monitoring Program (OMP) Committee is a core WBEA committee established in 2012 under the name Human Effects Monitoring Program. The purpose of the OMP Committee is to identify, assess, and communicate air-related odour concerns of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo stakeholders.

In 2015, the WBEA established the Traditional Knowledge Committee (TKC) to develop and oversee long- term Indigenous knowledge and community-based monitoring programs; from 2017-2022 the focus had been on the Community-Led Berry Contamination Study. In 2024, the committee revised its purpose to focus on guiding the WBEA’s current ambient air and deposition monitoring programs to reflect Indigenous perspectives and to be inclusive of community concerns, values, and priorities. The committee also revised the name to Traditional Indigenous Knowledge Committee (TIKC) to highlight its focus on Indigenous perspectives.

The Strategic Planning Committee meet on an ‘ad hoc’ basis for the purpose of strategic plan development when required. The committee last convened in October and November 2021 for the development of the WBEA’s 2022-2026 strategic plan. The report serves to inform the operational direction of the WBEA by outlining a consensus-based vision, values, operational milestones, and potential challenges for the next five years.

WBEA Executive Director & Governance
Committee Members

WBEA Executive Director

Sanjay Prasad
780.799.4420

WBEA Governance Committee

WBEA President

Byron Fediuk
Syncrude Canada Ltd.

Vice President

Janais Turuk
McMurray Métis

Secretary/Treasurer

Ryan Abel
Fort McKay First Nation

WBEA Director

Curtis Brock
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas

WBEA Director

Diane Scoville
Lakeland Métis

WBEA Director

Fred Kuzmic
Canadian Natural

WBEA Membership

There are a number of benefits to membership in the WBEA. For many industry members, it is a major part of regulatory compliance, decreases operating costs, and eliminates air monitoring repetition. The WBEA’s membership represents governments, Indigenous partners, non-government organizations, and industry operators. Each member has an equal voice at the table and helps to set the direction of the Association. If you or your organization is interested in becoming a member of the WBEA, please contact info@wbea.org.

 

Current WBEA Members:

Indigenous Members
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
Chard Métis Nation
Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation
Christina River Dene Nation Council
Conklin Resource Development Advisory Committee
Fort McKay First Nation
Fort McKay Métis Nation
Fort McMurray 468 First Nation
Lakeland Métis Nation
McMurray Métis
Mikisew Cree First Nation
Smith’s Landing First Nation

Non-Government Organization Members
Keyano College

Government Members
Alberta Energy Regulator
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
Alberta Health
Alberta Health Services
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Health Canada
Parks Canada
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

Industry Members
Athabasca Oil Corporation
Canadian Natural
Cenovus Energy Inc.
Chemtrade Logistics
CNOOC International
Connacher Oil and Gas Ltd
ConocoPhillips Company
Greenfire Resources Ltd.
H.J. Baker Sulphur Canada ULC
Hammerstone Infrastructure Materials Ltd.
Harvest Operations Corp.
Imperial Oil Limited
Inter Pipeline Limited
IPC Canada Ltd.
Keyera Energy Ltd.
MEG Energy Corp.
Parsons Creek Aggregates
PetroChina Canada Ltd.
Suncor Energy Inc.
Sunshine Oilsands Ltd.
Surmont Energy
Syncrude Canada Ltd.
Titan Tire Reclamation Corporation

The WBEA's Strategic Plan

The 2022-2026 Strategic Plan captures, in a single document, what WBEA is about and what it seeks to achieve over the next five years. The plan focuses on four major strategic directions. Together, we can move the WBEA towards its vision by delivering:

  • World-class environmental monitoring programs
  • Enhanced collaboration and focused purpose
  • Credibility and social acceptance
  • Independence and program security

A 22-member Steering Committee contributed to the plan’s development. In alignment with the WBEA’s core value of consensus-based decision making, development involved reflecting on past years of operation, gathering feedback and perspectives from all participants, and setting goals to successfully carry the organization into the future.