Grade Level: SrH-Adult Producer: White Gold Productions Closed Captioned: No

Running Time: 65 mins Country of Origin: Canada Study Guide: Yes

Copyright Date: 2011 Available in French: No

"White Water, Black Gold" tells the story of David Lavallee's three year journey across western Canadian watersheds in search of answers about the activities of the world's thirstiest oil industry; the Tarsands. David works as a hiking guide in the Canadian Rockies. Over the last 15 years he has observed profound changes to the mountain landscapes due to climate change. When he finds out that 1500 km downstream of the Columbia Icefields, where he works, one industry is consuming massive amounts of water to make oil and feed global energy markets, he is shocked. Why doesn’t he know more about the multinational corporations operating in his own province? This necessitates a journey - from icefields, to oilfields.
 

In the course of his journey he makes many discoveries: new science shows that water resources in an era of climate change will be increasingly scarce; first nations people living downstream are contracting bizarre cancers; the upgrading of this oil threatens multiple river systems across Canada and the tailings ponds containing the waste by-products of the process threaten to befoul the third largest watershed in the world. Additionally, a planned pipeline across British Columbia brings fresh threats to BC Rivers and the Pacific Ocean.
 

“White Water, Black Gold” is a sober look at the untold costs associated with developing the second largest deposit of “oil” in the world. Its conclusions are drawn from the latest science coming out of the University of Alberta and the University of Regina, as well as the viewpoints of people living downstream, such as the communities of Fort Mckay and Fort Chipewyan, as well as First Nations on the Pacific Coast.

 

Narrated by Wade Davis, Explorer in Residence for National Geographic
Photos by Alan Bibby

"I viewed your film at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival and absolutely loved it!!!  It contains such an important message.  I hope that it is included in the World Tour.
I am an American and hope that you can get President Obama and the rest of the politicians in my country to see it before they grant any more permits to the oil companies.
Thank you." - Sandi McAllister

Study Guide available to purchasers. See sample below.


Ontario broadcast premiere March 22nd, 2012 at 10 PM on TVO.

White Water, Black Gold will have a theatrical run at the Carleton Cinema, Toronto - March 9th - 17th, 2012.