Individuals and municipalities alike have joined in outcry against the Province's decision to rescind its 1976 coal policy.
The policy had divided Alberta into four categories, protecting Category 2 lands including parts of the Canadian Rockies and surrounding foothills from open-pit mining, and limiting underground projects and exploration. After 44 years, it was rescinded on June 1, 2020.
While there may have been good reason for rolling back the policy (the Province states on its website there had been redundancies due to developments in processes, procedures and regulation in the industry), nobody seems to be able to put their finger on exactly what those are.
This is the issue.
Like Foothills County Coun. Delilah Miller states, the concern isn't necessarily against mining or industrial endeavours - it's about the fact there is now no protective policy for environmentally sensitive lands and no public consultation was done prior to removing the 1976 coal policy.
Both Okotoks and Foothills have raised issue with the potential for water contamination due to selenium produced during coal mining.
But because neither municipality was privy to discussions prior to the rescindment there is little to assuage those concerns.
As such, they've joined the likes of the City of Lethbridge, Town of Pincher Creek and Town of High River in writing letters to the Province requesting a pause, a moment to open the 1976 coal policy and allow the public - including municipalities - to judge for themselves whether it should be revoked or rewritten.
Acting on such an important and controversial issue without reaching out to ratepayers was, as Okotoks Coun. Ed Sands said, a breach of trust.
Jason Kenney needs to take a step back and hear the people of Alberta.
