Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Alberta has appointed an independent committee to lead public engagement that would inform the development of a modern coal policy.
The UCP government says the coal policy committee, which will design and conduct this engagement, is composed of Albertans with various backgrounds and perspectives.
“Albertans have made it clear they want a say in where and how coal is developed in our province,” said Energy Minister Sonya Savage in a March 29 release.
“By establishing an independent committee, everyone across the province will have their voices heard during this engagement process. This is an essential step in ensuring a new modern coal policy is developed by Albertans for Albertans.”
This comes after the province rescinded a 1976 policy last year that protected the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. The public outcry resulted in the province cancelling 11 coal leases, pausing future sales and later reinstating the policy.
Ron Wallace, who has served on numerous regulatory boards including the National Energy Board, is chairing the committee.
“I am honoured to serve as chair of this committee and look forward to working with the members as we engage with Albertans over the next several months,” Wallace said in the release.
“It’s important that a wide range of perspectives are understood and respected as we move through this process. We will review the results of the initial survey as we begin the work of developing an engagement plan that provides an opportunity for Albertans to have their voices heard.”
Albertans can inform this engagement approach in an initial survey, which is available online and will be open until April 19.
The committee will design and share more details about the engagement process following the survey closing. The government says it will also consult directly with Indigenous leaders and communities.
Marlin Schmidt, NDP Critic for environment and parks, criticized in a statement the survey for pointing towards the outcome that the UCP government wanted.
“Albertans want real consultation. The UCP ignored that today,” Schmidt said.
“There are no questions in the survey about water quality and water quantity, and that raises questions about whether these topics will be in the scope of the consultation."
Schmidt added that if the UCP was sincere about its desire to consult, it would have done so last year when they rescinded the policy.
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society Alberta Chapters issued a joint response that the announcement did not address their concerns about coal development in the Rocky Mountains.
While the chapters were pleased that the process would be run by an independent committee, they stated that the survey was “narrowly focused” on the regulation of coal developments.
They also noted the committee lacked any representation from the environmental or conservation sectors.
The committee is expected to provide a final report to Minister Savage by Nov. 15.
