A coalition of concerned citizens advocating for the Water Not Coal petition is apprehensive that their initiative may not make it onto the ballot for this October’s referendum. Premier Danielle Smith previously indicated that if a sufficient number of signatures were gathered, the matter would be put to a vote. The Water Not Coal organisers claim to have amassed over 200,000 signatures, urging the provincial government to halt new coal mining operations in the vital watersheds of Alberta’s eastern Rocky Mountains, which supply water to many of the province’s rivers.
Petition Targets Specific Projects
The petition specifically opposes two proposed coal mining projects: Northback Holdings’ Grassy Mountain project and Valory Resource’s Blackstone mine. Corb Lund, the Alberta rancher and country musician behind the Water Not Coal initiative, argues that these operations jeopardise the ecological integrity of the Eastern Slopes and threaten the headwaters that nourish major river systems, including the Athabasca, Oldman, South Saskatchewan, North Saskatchewan, Peace, and Red Deer rivers.
Lund recently submitted the signed petitions to Elections Alberta, which now has 21 days to authenticate the signatures. If Elections Alberta confirms that the required 178,000 signatures are valid, the provincial government will be compelled to either enact a law banning new coal mining or place the issue before the public in a referendum.
Premier’s Concerns Over Process
During a recent episode of her radio show, Your Province Your Premier, Premier Smith stated that the petition must undergo a committee review before it can be included in a referendum. This bureaucratic hurdle has raised alarms among the organisers, who deem the potential exclusion from the ballot unacceptable.
“Now she’s pretending that, through some technicality, she’s not going to put it on the referendum,” Lund expressed in frustration. “She knows that she can put whatever she wants on a referendum—because she’s done it 10 times in a row.”
Despite his scepticism regarding the government’s commitment to act on the petition, Lund remains resolute. “We fully expect to be on the referendum if our signatures are verified. Not only do we expect to be on the referendum, but we expect our question to be used verbatim.”
A History of Coal Policy Controversy
Alberta’s coal policy has been a contentious issue for several years. In 2020, the United Conservative Party (UCP) dismantled longstanding regulations that had previously safeguarded the eastern slopes of the Rockies from open-pit coal mining, leading to the issuance of numerous leases. However, following significant public backlash, the UCP reinstated protections and ceased the sale of exploration leases.
The province’s fluctuating stance on coal mining has only intensified public concern over its environmental implications. As debates continue, the Water Not Coal campaign exemplifies a growing grassroots movement advocating for sustainable practices that prioritise ecological health over industrial development.
Why it Matters
The outcome of the Water Not Coal petition could have far-reaching implications for both Alberta’s environment and its resource management policies. With the eastern slopes serving as critical watersheds for multiple river systems, the decision to allow or ban coal mining operations will not only affect local ecosystems but also the livelihoods of communities reliant on these water sources. This movement highlights the importance of citizen engagement in the democratic process, particularly in matters that intersect with environmental stewardship and public health. As the province grapples with its energy future, the voices of Albertans demanding a sustainable approach to resource extraction must be heard.