Advancing Alberta’s reclamation standards

InnoTech Alberta Reclamation Certification Remote Methods Validation

Industrial sites in Alberta need to meet strict reclamation standards before receiving a Reclamation Certificate This affirms that disturbed land is self-sustaining and meets equivalent land capability to support various land uses again. Traditionally, this process relies on labor-intensive field assessments, which are costly, time-consuming, and pose safety risks.

InnoTech Alberta reached our team to help them find innovative solutions to augment field evaluations with remote sensing technologies. We happily accepted the chance to work on this exciting project with InnoTech Alberta and their partners: Alberta Innovates, the Petroleum Technology Alliance of Canada, and the University of Alberta.

Working together, we explored and validated technology-based assessment methods aligned with Alberta Environment and Parks policies and Alberta Energy Regulator practices. Our team found that remote sensing provides reliable, auditable, and comprehensive site data, reducing reliance on discrete field points. We also identified indicators of vegetation health and potential contamination effects on revegetation. This process decreased field visits and helicopter flights, reducing safety risks and habitat disturbances and enhancing monitoring of revegetation, invasive species, erosion, hydrology, and wildlife use.

In offering a scalable, cost-effective, and safer approach for regulators and industry, InnoTech Alberta’s efforts have aided in advancing the understanding of how remote sensing can complement traditional reclamation assessments. By applying current science and integrating multiple data sources, this project has also helped shape best practices for technology adoption in reclamation certification.