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Tour of oilsands didn't change Mayor of Victoria's mind

Last Updated Apr 29, 2019 at 7:49 am MDT

Mayor Lisa Helps of Victoria, B.C. is in Wood Buffalo touring the oil sands, making stops at places like Cenovus' Christina Lake facility. Images supplied by the city of Victoria, B.C., and Cenovus.

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps says she appreciated the opportunity to learn during her tour of Alberta’s oilsands on Friday, even though the trip didn’t fully change her opinions.

Helps visited Cenovus’ steam-assisted gravity drainage project near Fort McMurray, at the request of Calgary city council and resource industry advocacy group Canada Action.

Helps says it’s too soon to say whether the tour changed her views on the oilsands, but says she was impressed at the level of pride the staff took in the project.

Her invitation to Alberta followed Victoria city council’s support for a potential class-action lawsuit by B-C municipalities against oil and gas companies.