Conversations that Matter is a new video series produced by the Alberta Energy Regulator to educate viewers about how Alberta's oil sands are developed and how that development is regulated.
Alberta's oil sands began production in 1967. Since then, numerous publications, videos, and other educational materials have been produced to help people understand these processes, but despite these efforts, concerns about public safety and the environment remain high among Albertans.
The Conversations that Matter videos are designed to address that problem. Candid and accessible, they take the questions at the top of Albertans' minds and answer them, simply, plainly, and directly. Staged as a conversation between friends, the videos aim to translate the complex and highly technical processes surrounding oil sands development into a form that's clear for everyone, not just for the people with degrees in science or engineering.
To do this, the videos use a storytelling approach. This approach is backed by decades of quantitative and qualitative public opinion research that told us our other education materials--brochures, newsletters, even videos--were not helping people to understand, or even be aware of, the regulatory system designed to make sure that oil sands development doesn't come at the cost of public safety or environmental protection. We needed to find a new way to tell people that we're on the job.
The Conversations that Matter videos are designed to be more responsive to viewers' needs and desires. They are tailored to meet these informational needs so that all content is relevant and interesting, and they focus on conversation to make sure that our content is also inviting. The approach is a new one for the AER, and we expect it to become a helpful tool as we continue to work in a shifting landscape of social expectation.
The Alberta Energy Regulator ensures the safe, efficient, orderly, and environmentally responsible development of hydrocarbon resources over their entire life cycle. This includes allocating and conserving water resources, managing public lands, and protecting the environment while providing economic benefits for all Albertans.
Energy regulation in Alberta spans more than 77 years and has evolved over time. This evolution continued in 2013 when the AER became a new organization and began taking on regulatory functions related to energy development that were previously held by Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD, now Alberta Environment and Parks). This transition is now complete, and the AER is now the single regulator of energy development in Alberta—from application and exploration, to construction and development, to abandonment, reclamation, and remediation. - See more at www.aer.ca.
