Global campaigns against the oilsands companies in Canada are costing the industry $19.5 billion. This issue is related to the concerns of the large amount of carbon dioxide, approximately 2.8 billion metric tonnes, that will be released into the atmosphere if the goal of 4.7 billion barrels of oilsands bitumen were to be produced. Consequently, some projects have been stalled. “The delays have cost producers money and time, reducing the price they have received for tar sands crude as supply has outpaced the capacity of transport infrastructure to carry tar sands crude to new markets,” a report stated.

This dilemma is closely tied to Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) and sustainability. It is necessary for the various companies to recognize the factors that make up the CSR. These responsibilities are separate from profit maximization and important aspects are the awareness of sustainability, response to external pressure and ethics. The carbon dioxide released, as a result of the oilsands bitumen being produced, will have a major impact on the atmosphere, environment, humans, plants and animals. With that being said, it is not eco-sustainable and certainly unethical to take on any of the oilsands projects.  If the oilsands companies were to closely evaluate their social responsibilities and put sustainability at a higher level of importance before they initiated the projects, the producers would probably be in a better position, as opposed to being faced with this cost.

Lack of access to markets was the result of projects being put on hold. It costed the producers $35 billion between 2010 and 2013, and of this, 55% were the costs caused by the anti-oilsands movement. “As concern over climate continues to grow, these public accountability campaigns, and their impacts on tar sands expansion, will also grow,” the report concluded.