Applications 1909112, 012-00149968, 025-00201931, 001-00413940, and 033406

Notice of Hearing
Proceeding ID 450
Canadian Natural Resources Limited
North Pit Extension Project

The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) will hold a public hearing of Oil Sands Conservation Act application 1909112, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act application 012-00149968, Water Act applications 025-00201931 & 001-00413940, and Public Lands Act application MSL033406.

This notice sets out how to request to participate in the hearing. The hearing will be scheduled later or, if there are no participants, the AER may cancel the hearing and decide on the application without further notice.

The AER’s decision that the applications should be decided by a panel of hearing commissioners is available on the Participatory and Procedural Decisions landing page.

Description of the Application
Canadian Natural Resources Limited has applied for the following:

Amendment of Commercial Scheme Approval No. 9752E, pursuant to Section 13 of the Oil Sands Conservation Act (OSCA) for the recovery of bitumen and updates to tailings management,
Amendment of Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) Approval No. 00149968-01- 00 for the construction, operation, and reclamation of the North Pit Extension (NPE) Project, pursuant to Sections 67(1) and 70(1) of EPEA,
Amendment of Water Act Approval No. 00201931-01-00 pursuant to Section 42(1)(b) of the Water Act to extend the current fenceline to accommodate dewatering and drainage activities, including the removal of wetlands associated with the NPE Project,
Approval for a new Water Act licence, pursuant to Section 50(1) of the Water Act for the diversion of groundwater and surface water within the extended Water Act fenceline boundary including the unnamed Athabasca River tributaries, and the catchment areas associated with the Calumet River, Tar River and Pierre River, and
Amendment to extend the Mineral Surface Lease (MSL033406) pursuant to Section 20 of the Public Lands Act (PLA) for surface rights to occupy the Crown lands associated with the extension of the North Pit and the overburden/interburden storage areas.

The Horizon Oil Sands Mine and Processing Plant (Horizon) is located in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, 70 km north of Fort McMurray and approximately 20 km north of Fort McKay. The extension will be immediately adjacent and east of the existing approved North Pit and west of the Athabasca River. Development will occur in portions of Townships 096 and 097, Ranges 11 and 12, west of the 4^th Meridian.

Where can I find information about the application and the hearing?
All hearing submissions, including the applications filed in relation to proceeding 450 are publicly available and can be found on the AER’s website using the public records system found at https://apps.public.aer.ca/hearing/.

To find out more about AER hearing procedures, see Manual 003: Participant Guide to the Hearing Process or contact the hearing coordinator.

Contacts
Tara Wheaton, Hearing Coordinator
Alberta Energy Regulator
Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4
Email: Hearing.Services@aer.ca
Phone: 403-297-6288

Canadian Natural Resources Limited
2100, 855 - 2 Street S.W.
Calgary, AB T2P 4J8
Attention: Kirsten Pinney, P.Ag
Email: Kirsten.Pinney@cnrl.com
Phone: 403-386-8194

Your request to participate must contain the following:

a copy of your statement of concern or an explanation why you did not file one;
a concise statement indicating
1. why you may be directly and adversely affected by the AER’s decision on the applications, or
2. if you will not be directly and adversely affected by a decision on the applications, explain
  - what the nature of your interest in the matter is and why you should be permitted to participate,
  - how your participation will materially assist the AER in deciding the matter that is the subject of the hearing,
  - how you have a tangible interest in the subject matter of the hearing,
  - how your participation will not unnecessarily delay the hearing, and
  - how you will not repeat or duplicate evidence presented by other parties;
the outcome of the applications that you advocate;
the nature and scope of your intended participation;
your contact information;
if you are acting on behalf of a group or association of people, the nature of your membership in the group or association; and
your efforts, if any, to resolve issues associated with the proceeding directly with the applicant.

Send the request to the hearing coordinator. Submissions should be PDF documents with bookmarks, page numbers, and optical character recognition.

Filing deadlines

February 25, 2025	Final date to file a request to participate.
March 11, 2025	Final date for response from the applicant on any requests to participate.

Is this a public process?
Yes. Section 49 of the Rules of Practice requires that all documents and information filed for a proceeding be placed on the public record. You must not include any personal information that you do not want to appear on or are not authorized to put on the public record. You should assume that anything you submit will be available online to the public. Section 49(2) of the Rules of Practice states how to apply to the AER for an order to keep information confidential.

What is outside of the AER’s jurisdiction?
Compensation for land use is not dealt with by the AER and should be referred to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal (formerly the Surface Rights Board).

Consultation with Alberta’s First Nations and Métis settlements and assessment of its adequacy are managed by the Aboriginal Consultation Office.

If my request to participate is approved, can I apply to get reimbursed for hearing-related costs?
If you are participating in a hearing, you may be eligible to have some of your costs paid.
Directive 031: REDA Energy Cost Claims explains how and when to apply.

Issued at Calgary, Alberta, on February 4, 2025.
ALBERTA ENERGY REGULATOR