20.12 Making Connections

FRACKING IN CANADA

Background: Western Canada has the biggest natural gas shale fracking operations in North America, with several major sites in British Columbia and Alberta supported in part by government financial incentives such as reduced royalties and assistance in road building and pipeline costs. The regulation of shale gas production on private land is largely controlled by each provincial or territorial government. In early 2011, Quebec Environment Minister Pierre Arcand announced a halt to all shale gas development in that province while the process and its impacts on the nearby St. Lawrence River are more thoroughly studied.

Case: You are a resident of Quebec, living in a community near a proposed natural gas drilling site. Shale gas development could bring a big economic boost to your area but the environmental concerns about fracking have alarmed some community members, who oppose it. You have been asked to research what is known about the environmental impacts of fracking and present the information at a public consultation meeting, so members of council can make an informed decision about what is right for the community.