High River mayor says he was taken aback when Jason Kenney called himself ‘unapologetic supporter’ of coal industry
An Alberta mayor says Premier Jason Kenney openly said he is an “unapologetic supporter” of coal development in the Eastern Slopes, despite the fact his government is still reviewing reports detailing public input for a new provincial coal policy.
Mayor Craig Snodgrass of High River said he talked with Kenney during an online meeting Jan. 13 that was attended by several provincial officials, including Energy Minister Sonya Savage.
“And at that time is when I asked him where he was with coal mining in Alberta, and specifically on the Eastern Slopes, and he said that he was an unapologetic supporter of the industry.”
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An independent committee formed in March spent months preparing a report reviewing extensive public input for a new coal policy, along with a final report containing recommendations. Both were submitted Dec. 29 for review by provincial officials, after which they will be made public.
Snodgrass said he was taken aback by Kenney’s remarks.
“With everything that’s gone on over the last year and with the report(s) in front of cabinet now… his comments (about) still having his feet dug in with the industry were definitely surprising.”
The Western Producer asked Justin Brattinga, press secretary to the premier’s office, for comment on Snodgrass’ statements about the meeting.
“The Alberta government is taking time to review the coal policy committee’s reports and is planning to release the reports once a thorough review of the findings has been completed,” Brattinga said in an email Jan. 31.
“The reports are detailed and reflect the committee’s diligent efforts to engage with Albertans and Indigenous peoples. We will also provide our response to the committee’s recommendations when the reports are released.”
The provincial government in 2020 rescinded a coal policy dating back to 1976, without public consultation, which opened much of the Eastern Slopes of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains to potential open-pit coal mining.
The policy was reinstated in early 2021 following widespread opposition, which included ranchers, scientists, country music entertainers and many municipalities.
Snodgrass requested the meeting with Kenney to seek clarification following a recent special Global News year-in review TV interview in which the premier discussed a wide range of topics.
“Our general approach is to support responsible resource development as we’ve always done in Alberta, and we have a consultation panel talking to Albertans about how do we get that right balance when it comes to coal,” said Kenney during the program.
“There have been coal mines up and down the Eastern Slopes in Alberta since European people arrived here in the 1870s. And so this has been a constant part of our economic history, and there are entire communities like Grande Cache, for example, that depend on (coal.) I’m not one of those cold-hearted people who just says we’re going to turn those into ghost towns.”
He pointed to existing coal mining in British Columbia, which includes open pit mining in the Elk Valley area on the B.C. side of the Rockies near Alberta’s Eastern Slopes.
“I think if they can do this responsibly under an NDP government of British Columbia, I believe in principle we can do it responsibly on a limited basis here in Alberta to find that great balance between environmental preservation and job creation.”
The Eastern Slopes contains the sources of the Saskatchewan River system, which provides water for farmers and communities across much of the Prairies.
A record-breaking federal fine of $60 million was assessed in 2021 against Teck Coal after it released selenium and calcite into B.C. rivers in the Elk Valley in 2012.
A report by the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy said Nov. 10 the Alberta government should consider banning coal mining in the Eastern Slopes. It said the negative impact on sectors such as agriculture due to problems such as selenium will outweigh the economic benefits.
A letter to MLAs by 35 scientists at the University of Alberta said April 16, “there is no reliable method to stop leaching of hazardous waste produced by surface coal mining into groundwater where, inevitably, it will pollute precious watersheds we all depend on that are already under severe stress.”
Snodgrass said Kenney did not discuss the potential negative impact of coal development in the Eastern Slopes during the meeting Jan. 13, but reiterated he believes in responsible resource development.
“And we all do,” said Snodgrass during an interview Jan. 28. “The problem is that coal mining on the Eastern Slopes is completely irresponsible.”
Snodgrass said it was “very apparent to me that (Kenney) is not up to speed on what the negative impacts are to our province, and I’m hoping that with the coal policy committee’s report that he’ll be tempted to spend some more time as to what this program actually looks like if he was to push it through …”
During a news conference Jan. 27, Alberta NDP Environment Critic Marlin Schmidt asked the provincial government to immediately make the committee’s reports public. “Stop the delay, stop playing for time, release the report(s) and start listening to Albertans.”
