The Athabasca oil sands in northern Alberta sit atop one of the largest proven oil reserves on Earth. Since the mid-1980s, this region has expanded from a handful of mining sites into one of the world’s largest energy extraction zones, visible from space. Vast open-pit mines, processing plants, roads, and tailings ponds spread outward as global demand for oil grew and Canada emerged as a major energy producer. This expansion has played a central role in Canada’s economy, supporting hundreds of t