Alberta Environment and Protected Areas has issued an enforcement order requiring remediation work at the former Enerkem Alberta Biofuels facility in northeast Edmonton, citing concerns over hazardous materials, contaminated soil and groundwater, and the condition of the shuttered plant.

The June 2026 order alleges that the facility’s operator failed to safely decommission the site and adequately monitor ongoing environmental risks following the plant’s closure in 2024.

EnerLocated on City of Edmonton-owned property, the facility was designed to convert residential waste into ethanol and other biofuels. The project, once touted as a flagship waste-to-energy initiative, struggled with operational and financial challenges before entering insolvency protection. By the time it ceased operations, the plant had produced approximately five million litres of biofuel — well below the 36 million litres annually projected by Quebec-based Enerkem.

According to the provincial order, significant environmental concerns remain at the $80-million facility. Consultants have identified toxic chemicals stored in tanks, abandoned industrial waste containers and improperly managed contaminants that could potentially escape containment systems.

Recent assessments also found soil and groundwater contamination exceeding provincial guidelines. Identified contaminants include methanol, a toxic and highly flammable solvent, as well as petroleum hydrocarbons associated with the site’s operations.

The enforcement order outlines a series of compliance issues identified over the past year. On September 25, 2025, City of Edmonton officials reported concerns under Alberta’s Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act regarding liquids that could be released outside approved containment areas. At the time, Enerkem Alberta Biofuels LP had entered receivership and was not undertaking remediation work related to the city’s concerns.

The order notes that by October 2025, no liquids had been removed from the site and no chemical analysis had been completed to determine their composition.

Further investigations conducted in December 2025 identified 18 “Areas of Potential Environmental Concern” across the facility. Contaminants of potential concern included salinity, metals, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, petroleum hydrocarbons, alcohols, volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, glycols, phosphates, ammonia, cyanide, sulphur compounds and asbestos-containing materials.

The province has directed the parties responsible for managing the facility to continue remediation efforts and prepare a detailed report outlining cleanup activities and environmental mitigation measures. The report must be submitted to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas by December 18, 2026.

Federal funding supports Canada’s first deep geothermal roadmap, clean energy innovation projects

The federal government is investing in geothermal energy planning and a suite of clean technology projects aimed at advancing carbon capture, renewable energy and grid modernization across Canada.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Tim Hodgson, announced $468,000 in funding through Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Innovation Program to support the development of the Canadian Deep Geothermal Roadmap, the country’s first national strategy for advancing deep geothermal energy resources.

Led by the Canadian Deep Geothermal Coalition (CDGC), with the Cascade Institute serving as project secretariat, the initiative will bring together industry, researchers, Indigenous partners and governments to identify technology opportunities and research priorities needed to accelerate geothermal development in Canada.

BC Hydro has identified 16 prospective geothermal sites in the province, with the six most likely prospects having an estimated geothermal potential of over 1,000 MW collectively.

“Canada’s clean energy future relies on the talent and innovation of Canadian researchers, businesses and industry leaders, and British Columbia is leading the way,” Hodgson said in a statement.

Deep geothermal systems harness heat from beneath the Earth’s surface to provide reliable, low-carbon electricity and heating. While the highest-temperature geothermal resources are found in British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, additional research and resource mapping are needed to reduce exploration risks and support future regulatory frameworks.

Natural Resources Canada said next-generation geothermal technologies could expand the availability of geothermal energy across more regions of the country while leveraging Canada’s expertise in drilling and subsurface engineering. The sector also has the potential to create thousands of jobs and strengthen long-term energy security.

The geothermal funding announcement was part of a broader $28.9-million investment in 12 clean energy projects through the Energy Innovation Program. The funding package includes $16.9 million for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) projects, $9.2 million for renewable energy initiatives and $2.8 million for smart grid technologies.

“Canada is scaling up clean energy while strengthening our electricity grid and responsibly growing our conventional energy industry,” Hodgson said.

Among the recipients is the Petroleum Technology Research Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan, which will receive $4.8 million to study the behaviour of carbon dioxide stored in deep geological formations. The project includes drilling a new test well and collecting core samples, fluid samples and well log data to improve understanding of how CO₂ plumes move underground.

Federal officials say the work will help reduce the technical, environmental and financial risks associated with large-scale geological carbon storage projects and regional storage hubs.

Another recipient, Kingston-based CO₂L Technologies Inc., received $580,000 to scale up an electrochemical system capable of converting captured carbon dioxide into commercially useful products, including formate salts, formic acid and desiccants.

The resulting products have applications in industries ranging from cement manufacturing and de-icing to agriculture, chemical production and humidity control.

Ottawa introduces new bill to advance First Nations water governance

The federal government has tabled new First Nations clean drinking water legislation that it says builds on more than six years of consultations, engagement and parliamentary study of the former Bill C-61, which terminated after Parliament was prorogued in 2025.

Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty vowed last summer that a new bill would replace C-61, and called Bill C-37, the new First Nations Clean Water Act, a legislative framework to support safe drinking water in First Nations communities, “while recognizing First Nations jurisdiction over water on their lands and holding governments to account,” she told reporters.

“This is a time for action, with First Nations guiding the way,” Gull-Masty announced in a statement. “For too long, many First Nations communities have gone without the protections that help keep drinking water safe. That needs to change.”

Gull-Masty also announced $4.6 billion dedicated to First Nations water and wastewater infrastructure, “because legislation alone is not enough,” she said. The legislation was introduced in the House of Commons just days before MPs’ summer break, meaning the bill won’t be debated before the fall.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak released a statement on June 16 to explain that Bill C-37 is missing “key elements” that need to be explored through additional consultation with First Nations. She pointed to weak source water protection, ambiguity around the definition of First Nations lands, and a lack of sustainable funding.

“We expect there will be full Parliamentary committee hearings on the bill this fall,” Woodhouse Nepinak announced. “We also encourage committee members to actually visit First Nation communities impacted by these boil water advisories as part of their work. To appreciate the impact this has on our communities, the committee should see for themselves.”

Assembly of First Nations announced that it will add the legislation to its Annual General Assembly agenda in Ottawa July 14-16. This feedback will inform the AFN’s full response this summer, Woodhouse Nepinak noted.

Indigenous Services Canada reports there are currently 38 long-term drinking water advisories in 36 communities, mostly in Ontario. 

Former Minister of Indigenous Services, Patty Hajdu, introduced the last First Nations Clean Water Act, Bill C-61, on December 11, 2023, more than a year after the government repealed the 2013 Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act, which was heavily criticized by many Indigenous communities. 

That legislation was also one of Ottawa’s first co-developed bills with First Nations as part of the terms of the $8-billion drinking water class action settlement for First Nations in December 2021.

Notably, the bill would establish national principles and minimum service standards for drinking water and wastewater systems on First Nation lands, support the creation of a First Nations-led water commission, and require the development of a federal regulatory framework. It also commits the government to progressively realizing the human right to safe drinking water by addressing regulatory gaps and co-developing a long-term funding framework with First Nations.

The proposed legislation aims to affirm First Nations’ inherent right to self-government in matters related to water, source water protection, drinking water, wastewater and associated infrastructure. It also seeks to ensure sufficient water supplies to meet community needs, including drinking, sanitation, emergency management, cultural and spiritual uses.

All decisions made under the legislation would be guided by the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including free, prior and informed consent, according to the backgrounder. The bill would also facilitate collaboration among First Nations and federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments on source water protection planning.

Xylem to deliver integrated water reuse system for Dow’s Path2Zero project in Alberta

Xylem has secured a long-term agreement with materials science company Dow to design, build and operate an advanced industrial water management system at Dow’s Fort Saskatchewan complex in Alberta, supporting expanded operations associated with the company’s Path2Zero project.

Under the agreement, Xylem will provide an end-to-end solution encompassing engineering, system design, construction and ongoing operations. The integrated system will manage the site’s full water cycle, including raw water treatment, industrial water supply and large-scale water reuse.

The water system is expected to begin operating in August 2028. Dow officials say the Path2Zero expansion project will create the world’s first net-zero emissions integrated ethylene cracker and derivatives site with respect to scope 1 and 2 emissions. Dow says the facility is expected to add approximately 1.8 million metric tonnes of ethylene capacity in a phased manner through 2030 for customers and joint venture partners around the globe.

The project includes a brownfield expansion and retrofit of Dow’s existing manufacturing site in Fort Saskatchewan.

“This agreement represents a major milestone for Xylem,” said Rodney Aulick, executive vice-president and president of Water Solutions and Services at Xylem in a June 8 press release. “It reflects the strength of our long-standing relationship with Dow and the deep trust we’ve built with a key customer over time.”

Xylem said the system will employ multi-stage treatment processes to convert water from cooling and industrial operations into reusable, high-quality supply. The company will be responsible for the complete process design as well as long-term operation of the facility, providing Dow with a single partner accountable for water quality, system performance and supply reliability.

The system will: 

• Treat raw water for industrial use;
• Recover and treat water from cooling and industrial processes for reuse; and
• Optimize performance through long-term operational management.

According to Xylem, the system spans a large and complex industrial site and represents a shift toward fully integrated water management models that combine treatment infrastructure with operational accountability.

A key feature of the project is its integrated water reuse capability, which is expected to significantly reduce freshwater withdrawals by transforming process water into a reusable resource.

Xylem said the approach is intended to improve operational resilience while reducing pressure on local water resources. The project also highlights a growing trend toward circular water management strategies in large industrial facilities, where water reuse is increasingly being adopted to address resource constraints and sustainability goals.

Province establishes new compliance, enforcement agency for natural-resource sector

Several provincial compliance, enforcement functions consolidated into unified organization