Who you gonna call? Not Ghostbusters, unless it’s a pesky poltergeist you have a problem with. But if you’re among the Albertans who live near oil and gas, coal, or minerals development, you know that sometimes you may need help getting to the bottom of things. What you may not know is who to call for that help.
The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) is here to help. You can reach out to us with any inquiries, complaints, or concerns regarding energy activities in your area. However, we aren’t the only resource available; there are several other organizations that may be able to assist, depending on your specific need.
The AER is responsible for overseeing the entire lifecycle of energy and mineral resources in Alberta—from initial exploration to operations, and through to closure, including reclamation and remediation. Our mission is to ensure that these resources are developed safely and responsibly.
We encourage you to share your questions and concerns with us. One way to do this is through a preapplication concern, which is a written submission that outlines specific concerns about a particular energy development activity for which no application has been submitted to the AER. It is a summary of the concerns that you would like the energy company to address or how you believe the activity could affect you or the land in which you have an interest. A preapplication concern is different from a statement of concern because it’s not specific to an application; therefore, it’s not included in the AER’s review of an application.
If you have concerns about an application for a proposed project that is being reviewed by the AER, you can submit a statement of concern (SOC) to the AER. SOCs outline specific concerns about a company’s particular application.
Once development and operational activities have started, you can submit an operational complaint to the AER that outlines your concerns about an operation, site, or facility.
Who else to call?
If the issue involves compensation for land access, loss of use of the land, or damages, you should contact the Land & Property Rights Tribunal (LPRT).
Municipalities and counties also play a role in helping resolve concerns. They deal with issues pertaining to road use, such as dust and traffic, and noxious weeds that could damage crops.
Other helpful groups:
The Farmer’s Advocate, is a resource for farmers and ranchers providing information on legislation and policy. The organization can also provide advice on rights, responsibilities, negotiations and more.
Synergy groups include representatives from the community, the government, and the oil and gas industry, and provide an informal platform for conversations.
The Orphan Well Association, works with industry, government and public stakeholders to manage the safety and environmental risks of oil and gas sites that do not have a legally or financially responsible party.
Reporting an Emergency or Complaint?
To report an energy or environmental emergency, incident, or complaint, you can call the Energy and Environmental Emergency 24-Hour Response Line at 1-800-222-6514.
Operated by the Government of Alberta, this response line is Alberta’s single contact point for reporting environmental emergencies, incidents, and complaints and triages calls to the appropriate agencies for response, which includes the AER.
While the various organizations work closely together, understanding each one's specific responsibilities is crucial for getting your questions answered.
