Suncor Energy Foundation

This award-winning initiative, in which land is purchased to partially offset Suncor’s environmental impact, is paving the way for future conservation efforts. It dates back to 2002, when Suncor was looking to partner with a non-profit organization to offset habitat affected by oil sands operations in Fort McMurray. With the help of Alberta Parks, Suncor identified ACA as a partner and began a pilot project at Winagami Lake northwest of High Prairie, where we had been doing conservation work since 1997. The area is a birdwatcher’s paradise, with more than 200 species of birds, and is important to fisheries and wildlife. But at the time, the shoreline had been overgrazed and water levels were critically low. Building on our efforts, Suncor invested $200,000 to purchase 480 acres of privately owned lakeshore for protection and conservation. Following the successful pilot project, Suncor committed to a three-year, $1-million investment, which has resulted in the purchase of 1,750 acres of ecologically sensitive land across Alberta.

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