There's no need for an emergency debate on the looming, multibillion-dollar cost of cleaning up Alberta’s oilpatch, the governing New Democrats and official Opposition United Conservatives told the provincial legislature Tuesday. They took this position in response to a request from the legislature's lone Liberal member who suggested the matter required an urgent debate.

The staggering estimate of $260 billion in financial liabilities for the oil and gas industry’s graveyard of spent facilities were spelled out by a high-ranking official of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) in a February presentation to a private audience in Calgary.

A joint investigation by the Star, Global News, National Observer, the Michener Awards Foundation and journalism schools at Ryerson and Concordia universities revealed a troubling pattern of secrecy and potentially toxic leaks in Sarnia, Ont.

Nova Chemicals in Corunna, south of Sarnia, evacuated staff to a “safe location” Wednesday after a potential leak triggered plant alarms, the company said. Hydrogen sulphide, which has a rotten egg odour, can paralyze the human sense of smell and cause death at high enough concentrations. The ministry spokesperson said staff are investigating why Nova didn’t immediately report the spill.