Politics should not scuttle coal mining’s contributions

The truth about this vital industry needs to be known, Robin Campbell writes.

It is high time that we, as individuals, as communities and especially as governments, recognize and appreciate the positive contributions of coal mining in Canada.

Currently, the message is skewed and riddled with inaccurate depictions of coal mines, often ignoring the facts and painting the entire global industry with one brush. Coal mining has become a hot-button issue and we are seeing elected officials overturning decisions based on external pressures and ignoring expert analysis from government agencies. The result is harm to coal mining communities, threats to the full supply chain from shovel to ship, increased regulatory uncertainty and a further chill on investment in Canada’s resource sector that has been worsening over the past number of years.

Last month, the minister of environment and climate change reversed his Dec. 20, 2019, decision not to designate the Vista Coal Expansion Activities (Phase II) (the Project) under the Impact Assessment Act. This decision is at odds with the conclusions stated in the analysis report completed by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, both in December 2019 and July 2020. The report concluded that any adverse effects, including cumulative effects would be managed through project design, standard mitigation measures and existing legislative mechanisms. It also stated that concerns expressed by those who requested the review would be addressed through provincial processes, specifically the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, the Coal Conservation Act and the Water Act.

Despite the detailed analysis conducted in accordance with the federal government’s Impact Assessment Act, the decision appears to be a purely political one. It is a decision in which the minister ignores the Impact Assessment Agency’s expert advice that concluded the project did not trigger a federal review. It is a decision that mocks the ability and legal rights of Alberta, or any other province in the same situation, to effectively manage and regulate their own natural resource development. It is a decision that sends investors running because the regulatory process is politicized at the discretion of the minister.

In reality, coal mines, and any resource development project in Canada for that matter, are subject to some of the strictest regulations anywhere in the world. The notion that Alberta’s Eastern Slopes are now wide open for coal mining by anyone with money or a shovel is absurd. There are environmental approval processes, land-use policies, integrated resource plans, Aboriginal consultation requirements, full reclamation bonding with end-use plans and dozens of other processes and considerations in place before a company can even think about starting construction of a mine.

It is also critical to understand the socioeconomic contributions of coal mining. A coal mine provides hundreds of direct jobs in rural communities, often where they are needed most. Vista Mine has over 300 full-time employees, many of whom are First Nations and women. The underground mine project, which is located within the currently permitted Phase 1 area, and Phase II Expansion would add an additional 370 full-time jobs and bring the total infrastructure investment to over $1.1 billion, of which nearly 70 per cent is spent with Canadian companies. This investment, in addition to the $200 million in annual expenditures to Vista’s partners and the hundreds of indirect jobs down the supply chain with equipment manufacturers, rail and export terminals cannot be overlooked, especially as we band together to boost our economy in the face of the damage done by COVID-19.

As someone who has split their career between coal mining and public office, I know that we have the ability to responsibly develop our coal resources while protecting the environment and providing thousands of direct and indirect jobs across our great country. I certainly hope that Canadians add their voice to the government of Canada’s upcoming Strategic Assessment of Thermal Coal Mining this fall and ensure the continuation of this critical industry.

It is a decision that sends investors running because the regulatory process is politicized ...