When a polymer is added to the tailings slurry in the extraction process in oil sands refining, it accelerates the release of water and forms a consolidated, dense material known as 'paste.' This material has a solids content of approximately 65% by weight, 30% of which is made up of fine particles. A study was initiated to explore the possibility of using paste as a plant growth medium in which the paste must hold water and nutrients for growth while allowing adequate water movement and aeration. To also attain a favorable soil structure, it was thought that amending the paste with an adequate amount of peat would improve its physical and chemical properties such as to render it a suitable soil environment for plant growth. The study was a growth chamber experiment in which the effects were assessed of peat amendments on seed germination, and a greenhouse experiment in which the growth of three selected plant species were determined, including highlander grass, jack pine, and trembling aspen. Paste has the potential to be modified into a suitable plant growth medium. Adding peat can greatly enhance seed germination, and seedling survival and growth. There seemed to be some improvement in plant performance as the amount of peat included increased from 5% to 10%. Increasing the amount of peat still further to 15% had at best marginal incremental effects. The optimum amount of peat amendment was around 10%. Of the three plant types tested, highlander grass performed the best on the paste material amended with peat, showing performance comparable to the control. Trembling aspen grew relatively well but the survival rate was low. If the seedlings survived the first few weeks, the potential for continued growth seemed good. Jack pine showed signs of stress such as needle damage, stunted growth and low survival rates and seemed unlikely to establish well even on the peat amended paste. 1 ref., 4 tabs., 2 figs