2016 Year In Review

Distance Travelled Over The Decades

Lasting Impact

There are many ways to measure progress. Be it distance travelled, partnerships forged, innovative discoveries or lessons learned, each one of these elements reflects growth and development over time. Over the last four decades, the Strathcona Industrial Association has continued to evolve alongside the communities we proudly serve. By working collaboratively on environmental monitoring and performance, safety promotion and community well-being initiatives, we are continuing to add value every day.

Who We Are

Representing east Edmonton and Strathcona County heavy industrial operators, SIA is a not-for-profit association with deep roots. Since our inception in 1974, SIA has continued to provide a common voice for industry as we work with the community, County and City to promote a safe and healthy working and living environment.

What We Do

SIA works collaboratively with our member companies, government and local communities to increase awareness and discussion, to actively monitor environmental health, and to ensure responsible and sustainable local development. Our success is not only measured by shared discovery, innovation, and advocacy, it is evidenced by positive and enduring contributions in the communities we call home.

Time To Reflect

With our great nation celebrating its 150th birthday this year, it seemed fitting to look back at our own achievements over the last few decades. The stories you will read in this year’s annual report illustrate the depth and breadth of experience that we are fortunate to have in the capital region.

Our members come from diverse backgrounds, yet they continue to find common ground for impactful and collaborative action. Each of our 12 member companies have made a commitment to invest time and effort into looking beyond the scope of their day-to-day business.

SIA members appreciate that partnership, stewardship and environmental responsibility are the hallmarks of great industry leaders. They are elements that not only set businesses apart, but also secure a bright future for generations to come.

Our members offer innovative, timely and environmentally responsible solutions to pressing global issues. Whether it is energy saving insulation, polymers for solar panels, recycling of disused vehicles, or leading-edge water saving initiatives, SIA members are having a positive impact around the world.

Our knowledgeable and dedicated members strive for continuous improvement. We also recognize that not all benefits of our individual and shared work are immediately visible, but we know that in time, they will become more apparent. Ours is a long-term vision for synergy and success.

Over the last 40 years we have been fortunate to help shape this region. In addition to establishing one of Alberta’s longest standing community air quality monitoring networks, we have been actively involved in a range of regional and provincial initiatives to protect precious natural resources, safeguard economic livelihood and preserve continued quality of life. This is our great privilege and responsibility.

As President, I am pleased to share the many remarkable milestones we have achieved throughout the years as well as data from our 2016 Annual Ambient Air Monitoring Report. Going forward I am confident that we will continue to build on this momentum as we continue to expand vital networks, advance innovative partnerships, increase our knowledge and experience, and uplift the communities where we work and live.

John P.
SIA Board President

Time To Reflect

With our great nation celebrating its 150th birthday this year, it seemed fitting to look back at our own achievements over the last few decades. The stories you will read in this year’s annual report illustrate the depth and breadth of experience that we are fortunate to have in the capital region.

Our members come from diverse backgrounds, yet they continue to find common ground for impactful and collaborative action. Each of our 12 member companies have made a commitment to invest time and effort into looking beyond the scope of their day-to-day business.

SIA members appreciate that partnership, stewardship and environmental responsibility are the hallmarks of great industry leaders. They are elements that not only set businesses apart, but also secure a bright future for generations to come.

Our members offer innovative, timely and environmentally responsible solutions to pressing global issues. Whether it is energy saving insulation, polymers for solar panels, recycling of disused vehicles, or leading-edge water saving initiatives, SIA members are having a positive impact around the world.

Our knowledgeable and dedicated members strive for continuous improvement. We also recognize that not all benefits of our individual and shared work are immediately visible, but we know that in time, they will become more apparent. Ours is a long-term vision for synergy and success.

Over the last 40 years we have been fortunate to help shape this region. In addition to establishing one of Alberta’s longest standing community air quality monitoring networks, we have been actively involved in a range of regional and provincial initiatives to protect precious natural resources, safeguard economic livelihood and preserve continued quality of life. This is our great privilege and responsibility.

As President, I am pleased to share the many remarkable milestones we have achieved throughout the years as well as data from our 2016 Annual Ambient Air Monitoring Report. Going forward I am confident that we will continue to build on this momentum as we continue to expand vital networks, advance innovative partnerships, increase our knowledge and experience, and uplift the communities where we work and live.

John P.
SIA Board President

Industrial Insight

SIA is a not-for-profit association representing east Edmonton and Strathcona County heavy industrial operators. Our members share a commitment to safe and environmentally responsible operations and are proud to provide a common voice for industry.

Air Products supplies a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, equipment and services. With over 18,000 employees and operations in more than 40 countries, the company is integral to a wide range of industries from food and beverage, health and personal care to energy, transportation and semiconductors.

Operating since 1955 and part of the Moly-Cop Group of companies, AltaSteel is an Edmonton based, Canadian manufacturer of prime quality steel products from recycled scrap steel generated within the Alberta community. With an annual production capability of over 350,000 tonnes of steel billets this scrap-based melting and casting mini-mill operation is integral to western Canadian businesses as well as export markets in the USA and Mexico.

Capital Power is a growth-oriented North American power producer headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. The company develops, acquires, operates and optimizes power generation from a variety of energy sources, such as natural gas, wind, solar, coal and biomass. Capital Power owns more than 3,600 megawatts of power generation capacity at 15 facilities across North America. Located in Edmonton, both the Clover Bar Energy Centre and Clover Bar Land fill Gas facilities offer flexible energy solutions to optimize power in Alberta.

Celanese is a leading North American manufacturer a full range of EVA copolymers. The Edmonton based polymers manufacturing plant is a distinct component of the global technology and specialty materials company that engineers and manufactures a wide variety of materials found in everyday products. From medical necessities to everyday items like running shoes, life jackets and stroller wheels, Celanese’s specialty polymers are now prominent in many Asian, European, South and North American markets.

Enbridge is a transporter of energy. They operate the world’s longest crude oil and liquids transportation system and are proud to be recognized as one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World. The company employs more than 10,000 people in Canada and the U.S., and is ranked one of Canada’s Greenest Employers and one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2013.

Epcor’s Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant opened in 1956, and through continual upgrades, it remains at the forefront of wastewater treatment technology, and is considered one of the most innovative wastewater treatment operations in North America.

Since 1880, Imperial has consistently demonstrated unwavering high standards, pioneering Canadian spirit, innovation and leadership in the energy industry. The company is Canada’s largest refiner of petroleum products, transforming hydrocarbons into about 650 petroleum products. Imperial Oil’s Strathcona Refinery produces a wide range of petroleum products, including gasoline, aviation fuel, diesel, lubricating oils, petroleum waxes, heavy fuel oil and asphalts and is the only producer of lubricating base oil and waxes in Western Canada.

Keyera operates one of the largest energy midstream companies in Canada. The company provides essential services to oil and gas producers in Western Canada and has a solid reputation for its work in natural gas gathering and processing, natural gas liquids (NGLs), fractionation, transportation, storage and marketing, iso-octane production and sales and diluent logistic services for oil sands producers., Keyera’s Alberta Envirofuels is the largest iso-octane manufacturing facility in the world. The Edmonton facility produces enough product to fuel approximately 45,000 vehicles per day.

Kinder Morgan is the largest midstream and the third largest energy company in North America. It owns an interest in or operates approximately 73,000 miles of pipelines and 180 terminals transporting an array of materials including natural gas, refined petroleum products, crude oil, carbon dioxide (CO2) and more. The company’s Edmonton South terminal in Sherwood Park is home to 35 tanks and has a capacity of 8 million barrels. In addition to being the starting point for the Trans Mountain Pipeline (TMPL), this state-of-the-art facility is an integral Control Centre that monitors all aspects of the TMPL and terminal operations.

Owens Corning is global leader in residential, commercial and industrial building materials ranging from insulation to roofing. It invented fiberglass and fiberglass insulation over 70 years ago, and is best known for its PINKTM insulation products. The company’s Edmonton plant is one of the leanest running Owen’s Corning plants in the world. Not only does the facility collect rainwater for use in manufacturing, all wastewater generated onsite is reused.

Rio Tinto Alcan is a global supplier of high quality bauxite, alumina and aluminum. For the last forty years, the company’s small plant in southeast Edmonton has been playing a big role in the global aluminum industry. The Rio Tinto Alcan facility is responsible for turning a waste byproduct from oil refineries into a key ingredient for the production of one of the most widely used, lightest, non-corrosive and infinitely recyclable metals.

Suncor Energy’s refining and marketing operations provide a vital link between our large Canadian resource base and the growing North American energy market. Suncor Edmonton’s 140,000-barrel-per-day refinery runs entirely on oil sands-based feedstocks and produces a high yield of light oils.

Distance Travelled Over The Decades

Our community and organization has a rich and storied past. While SIA originated in the seventies, most of our members began their local operations in the postwar period. In fact, it was this boom in activity in the late forties and early fifties that spurred the development of communities like sherwood park and gold bar in order to accommodate the workers and families that were drawn to the region. These days, sia members continue to provide employment and local opportunities. Collectively, our member companies employ more than 2,500 people in the region.

Indeed, much has happened since we began this journey 42 years ago. Here are a few stand out moments in time:

SIA LAUNCHES

Land planning issues and environmental concerns spur the development of a not-for-profit association that provides a common voice for industry. This innovative industrial partnership approach is the first of its kind in the region.

BUILDING MOMENTUM

In 1974, Rio Tinto (formerly Alcan), starts up a Coke Calciner in Sherwood Park to provide calcined coke to the aluminum smelters based in BC and Quebec. Calcined petroleum coke is the major raw material necessary for the production of aluminum – a versatile metal that increases efficiency and stands the test of time because of its lighter weight and ability to resist corrosion.

IMPRESSIVE DEVELOPMENTS

Integrated energy company and SIA founding member Imperial opens its Strathcona refinery in 1976. The facility, which was built on the grounds of Imperial’s 1940s refinery, will eventually become one of the largest refining facilities in Canada.

AIR MONITORING MATERIALIZES

In 1979, four continuous air monitoring stations are commissioned to gather scientifically valid data across the Capital Region. SIA’s network is a pioneer for air monitoring in Alberta and sets the pace for others to follow.

COLLABORATIVE EMERGENCY RESPONSE EMERGES

Strathcona District Mutual Assistance Program (SDMAP) is established in 1979 for sharing industrial incident planning and response best practices. A stand alone organization initially, SDMAP has since become a program of the SIA. SDMAP has grown significantly since its inception. The group now has more than 30 industrial and community agency members ensuring emergency response readiness.

GROWING PRESENCE

Land planning issues and environmental concerns spur the development of a not-for-profit association that provides a common voice for industry. This innovative industrial partnership approach is the first of its kind in the region.

RESOURCEFUL LEADERSHIP

Edmonton becomes one of the first Canadian municipalities to adopt curbside recycling in 1988 – a major feat made possible by the Edmonton Waste Management Centre (EWMC). In time, this SIA member will become North America’s largest collection of modern, sustainable waste processing and research facilities. Today the EWMC is 233 hectares in size which is equivalent to almost five West Edmonton Malls!

BUILDING CAPACITY

Additional units are constructed at Imperial’s Strathcona refinery to increase refining capacity. These days, the facility produces a wide range of petroleum products including gasoline, aviation fuels, diesel, butane, propane, heavy fuel oil, lubricating oils, petroleum waxes, and asphalts. Imperial’s Strathcona refinery is the only producer of lubricant base oil and waxes in western Canada.

EFFICIENT SYSTEMS

In 1985, Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain commences delivery of refined products through its pipeline system from Edmonton to Kamloops. The pipeline, which now spans 1,150km and extends to Burnaby, British Columbia efficiently transports both crude oil and refined products to marketing terminals and refineries on the west coast.

RAISING AWARENESS

Celanese is instrumental in forming the local Community Awareness Emergency Response (CAER) Program. CAER is one of six codes in Responsible Care©—a made-in-Canada program that has since been embraced by industrial companies in 42 countries worldwide.

A SUCCESSFUL BLEND

In 1992, the Alberta EnviroFuels plant opens west of Sherwood Park. The plant, which was incorporated into Keyera’s portfolio in 2012, is now the largest iso-octane manufacturing plant in the world. Boasting a high octane value, low vapor pressure and little to no sulphur content, iso-octane is an ideal blending component used in premium gasoline production.

AIR QUALITY

In 1994, SIA establishes a 24-hour response to various alarms and operating deviations. If an elevated reading is detected, the network manager is immediately paged and an investigation is triggered.

NEW BEGINNINGS

In October 1998, IPL Energy officially became Enbridge, the name that combines “energy” with “bridge” and endures to this day. The following year, Enbridge built the Athabasca Pipeline, connecting Alberta’s oil sands to its mainline system at Hardisty, Alberta. Today, Enbridge is the leading pipeline operator in the Fort McMurray to Edmonton and Hardisty corridors, with 12 oil sands projects connected to the Enbridge system as of March 2014.

CHANGE IS IN THE AIR

Enbridge invests in the SunBridge wind power project in Saskatchewan in 2002, beginning its portfolio in renewable energy investment that now tops $3-billion, includes 12 wind farms, four solar energy operations, and a geothermal project, and represents more than 1,800 MW of green power capacity.

IMPRESSIVE MILESTONES

In 2003, Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain celebrates 50 years of operations. Five years later, the company’s North 40 Terminal in Strathcona County is placed in service.

CLEAN SOLUTIONS

A pyro-scrubber and a wet scrubber are added to the Rio Tinto Coke Calciner in 2003 to significantly reduce particulate emissions. This $16 million dollar investment helped to curb fugitive emissions by 50 percent. Rio Tinto’s southeast Edmonton facility is the only petroleum coke calcining plant in Alberta and one of just a handful in Canada.

FRESH APPROACHES

SIA members are always looking for opportunities to collaborate. In 2005, Suncor partners with EPCOR on an innovative and award-winning water-recycling project aimed at reducing freshwater consumption.

CLIMATE LEADERSHIP

Alberta becomes the first jurisdiction in North America to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions. Industries follow suit by addressing emissions intensity through internal improvements or the purchase of offset credits. Today, SIA member Capital Power is harnessing energy from methane gas and turning it into carbon credits. The company’s Clover Bar Landfill Gas facility is producing enough energy to power 4,600 homes annually.

ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE

Alberta EnviroFuels is recognized as an EnviroVista Champion. It is the first company in Alberta to qualify for the voluntary Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development program back in 2007 and continues to honour its Stewardship Agreement today.

POSITIVE RIPPLES

In 2007, the Water Steering Committee is established to guide the implementation of the Water Management Framework for the Industrial Heartland and Capital Region. SIA joins forces with others to implement a cumulative effects management approach to protect the North Saskatchewan River.

SWITCHING BEHAVIOUR

AltaSteel joins efforts to recover mercury switches from end-of-life vehicles. The national Switch Out program, which was established in 2008 and is co-funded by AltaSteel, has helped to recover more than 420,000 mercury switches, or more than 400 kilograms of mercury in the last 5 years.

SAFETY MATTERS

During this decade Rio Tinto Alcan celebrates 20 years without a lost time injury and Imperial Oil Strathcona refinery celebrates 25 years of project construction without a lost time incident.

OUTSTANDING COMMITMENTS

In 2003, Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain celebrates 50 years of operations. Five years later, the company’s North 40 Terminal in Strathcona County is placed in service.

GREAT ADDITIONS

Kinder Morgan joins SIA in 2011. Over the next few years, the company will complete multiple regional projects including the Edmonton Terminal Expansion – a project that adds 16 new tanks with an added storage capacity of 5.3 million bbl.

Seasonal Downtimes

Our members are invested in continuous quality improvement, which means that from time to time, preventative maintenance, renovations or upgrades are required. These planned breaks in production are known throughout the industry as turnarounds.

Scheduled maintenance activities are the product of extensive planning and coordination. Turnarounds also generally begin in the spring, just as Albertans are setting their clocks forward and tidying up their own homes and yards. The process can take a few days, weeks or longer depending on the project complexity.

Turnarounds can bring benefits to local communities. With many skilled workers being brought in to carry out specialist activities, the local economy often gets a boost. In addition to increased spending on goods and services, everyone reaps the rewards of enhanced operational safety and efficiency.

TURNAROUNDS
The suspension or slowing of production for a specific time period while inspections are performed and necessary repairs, replacements and technology upgrades are completed.

Seasonal Downtimes

Our members are invested in continuous quality improvement, which means that from time to time, preventative maintenance, renovations or upgrades are required. These planned breaks in production are known throughout the industry as turnarounds.

Scheduled maintenance activities are the product of extensive planning and coordination. Turnarounds also generally begin in the spring, just as Albertans are setting their clocks forward and tidying up their own homes and yards. The process can take a few days, weeks or longer depending on the project complexity.

Turnarounds can bring benefits to local communities. With many skilled workers being brought in to carry out specialist activities, the local economy often gets a boost. In addition to increased spending on goods and services, everyone reaps the rewards of enhanced operational safety and efficiency.

TURNAROUNDS
The suspension or slowing of production for a specific time period while inspections are performed and necessary repairs, replacements and technology upgrades are completed.

Time For Community

It just takes a moment to have a profound impact. SIA understands the importance of local connections and ongoing support. Our members are actively involved in a number of signature events and causes.

River Day
On June 11 2016, nearly 1,000 came together to learn about recreational water safety on the North Saskatchewan River. SIA is an avid supporter of this City of Edmonton event at the Rundle Park Family Centre and enjoys hosting the pancake breakfast every year.

Greater Hardisty Community Day
In September, SIA once again sponsored the pancake breakfast for this annual neighbourhood celebration. Several of our members were also actively involved, supporting aspects of the day and sharing information and resources with local residents.

United Way’s Day Of Caring Events
Many of our member companies participate in the United Way’s Day of Caring events. These events help fund local social welfare agencies including; Edmonton Food Bank, Hope Mission, the Mustard Seed, Homeless Connect Edmonton and Kara Family Resource Centre.

Charitable contributions, gifts of time, or a new awareness of our actions, we all have the ability to make a difference.

Essential Timing

For nearly 40 years, more than 30 industrial companies and community agencies have been coming together to plan for, and test emergency response readiness in east Edmonton and Strathcona County. The Strathcona District Mutual Assistance Program (SDMAP) is continuing to play a vital role in our communities by raising awareness and providing essential information about dangers and safety measures specific to industrial materials.

Essential Timing

For nearly 40 years, more than 30 industrial companies and community agencies have been coming together to plan for, and test emergency response readiness in east Edmonton and Strathcona County. The Strathcona District Mutual Assistance Program (SDMAP) is continuing to play a vital role in our communities by raising awareness and providing essential information about dangers and safety measures specific to industrial materials.

SDMAP uses the combined expertise and equipment of all its members, which includes emergency response crews from refineries, petrochemical plants, manufacturers and oil and gas transportation companies. All members have emergency response plans that integrate into community response plans.

Readiness requires extensive preparation. Maintaining a current inventory of available equipment and trained staff as well as conducting routine hazard assessments, gives SDMAP partners the ability to make sound emergency response decisions when time is of the essence.

Routine training exercises conducted on member sites gives SDMAP partners the opportunity to familiarize themselves with other industrial plants as well as different types of response equipment. In training situations, members have the opportunity to test and improve emergency response plans and to strengthen their working relationships along the way.

SIA is pleased to report that following our SDMAP collaborative Emergency Response Exercise at the Edmonton Terminal in 2015, Kinder Morgan and Suncor joined efforts to construct compatible foam trailers and cannons for mutual aid.

These new resources complement the collective suite of emergency response resources available in the region. Be it fire trucks, portable pumps or command vehicles, SDMAP is equipping and protecting our industry professionals and communities.

Our focus on responsible air quality management dates back to 1976 when multi-stakeholder monitoring was first endorsed and adopted by local industry and Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP). Not long after, four continuous air monitoring stations were commissioned and in the years that have followed, a robust ambient air quality monitoring network has been successfully established.

What We Monitor

SIA’s network was one of the first of its kind in Alberta and is responsible for gathering scientifically valid data in Sherwood Park, Goldbar, Beverly and Ardrossan that provides a good understanding of air quality in the larger area.

Using continuous monitoring (readings taken every second, 365 days/year), and intermittent monitoring (sensors exposed for 24 hours every six days), these stations collect information pertaining to Hydrogen Sulphide, Sulphur Dioxide, Oxides of Nitrogen, Total Hydrocarbons and Particulate Matter levels in the air as well as wind speed, direction and temperature. This data provides reliable real-time information and is readily available to the public via the Alberta Capital Airshed website.

Our Partners

SIA is proud to be a part of the Alberta Capital Airshed (ACA). This air quality partnership is one of ten Airsheds in the province and is integral to protecting and improving air quality in our community.

In addition to developing air quality management and monitoring recommendations, the ACA relies on air quality data from SIA’s monitoring stations and five other locations to calculate the region’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). The AQHI is a useful tool that provides a snapshot of outside air quality in the region and relative health risk presented by a mixture of common air pollutants.

Air Quality

The quality of the air we breathe is influenced by a number of factors. Air pollutants originate from a combination of ‘area sources’ such as home and commercial operations, ‘point sources’ from industry and ‘non-point sources’ from vehicle emissions. Local topography, wind speed and direction, temperature and turbulence also play a key role in the rate at which these air contaminants will eventually disperse.

For more information about Air Quality Monitoring Network click here.

Charts And Graphs

By consistently monitoring and measuring our performance, we are better able to understand the effects of industry and gather scientifically valid data about current local air quality and long-term trends. We share this information via our on-going reporting to Alberta Environment and Parks and our annual Ambient Air Monitoring Report.

Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
Sulphur Dioxide is a colourless, non-flammable gas with a pungent odour. Industrial sources include sulphur extraction plants, natural gas processing plants, oil sands operations, power plants, oil refineries, pulp and paper mills and fertilizer plants.

Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S)
Hydrogen Sulphide is a colourless, flammable gas that is extremely hazardous and toxic. It has a distinct rotten egg odour, and can be identified at relatively low concentrations by people. The gas commonly exists in places such as sewers, sewage treatment plants and manure stockpiles. Industrial sources include petroleum and natural gas extraction and refining, pulp and paper manufacturing, chemical manufacturing and waste disposal.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
Nitrogen Dioxide is a reddish orange-brown gas with a strong, irritating odour. It is corrosive, highly oxidizing and non-combustible. Man-made sources include motor vehicles, oil and gas industries and power generation plants as well as combustion from forest fires and home heating.

Nitrogen Monoxide (NO)
Also known as Nitric Oxide, NO is a common pollutant. It results from the combustion of substances in the air that are present due to fuel burning activities such as driving and power production. While this colorless, toxic gas, plays an important role in our bodies, it is of concern because it can react to form NO2, which is a component of smog and may cause acid rain.

Ozone (O3)
Ozone occurs naturally in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere) and protects us from harmful ultraviolet radiation. However, ozone in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) acts as a strong oxidant, and is a key component of smog. Results from 30-day passive ozone monitoring showed measurements ranging between 13 and 39 ppb, with ozone concentration tending to be higher during the spring months.

Total Hydrocarbons (THC)
Total Hydrocarbons refer to a broad range of chemicals containing carbon and hydrogen atoms, including methane, propane, benzenes and many other compounds. Sources include motor vehicles, petroleum refineries, petrochemical plants, combustion as well as smaller sources like dry cleaning facilities, solvent handling and gas tanks.

Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
This includes particles with diameters less than or equal to 2.5 microns, which at this size can penetrate into lungs and are referred to as respirable. Sources include soil, road and agricultural dust, smoke, forest fires, traffic emissions and industrial activity. The Sherwood Park, Gold Bar and Beverly stations measure Particulate Matter.

Average H2S Concentration (Parts Per Billion)

Average SO2 Concentration (Parts Per Billion)

Average NO2 Concentration (Parts Per Billion)

Average O3 Concentration (Parts Per Billion)

Average THC Concentration (Parts Per Billion)

Average PM2.5 Concentration (Parts Per Million)