Crowsnest Pass residents divided as voting on mining at Grassy Mountain gets underway

The Crowsnest Community Hall in Blairmore is seen on Nov. 19, 2024, the day of advance polls.

Advance polls for Crowsnest Pass residents were held on Tuesday for a proposed coal mine at Grassy Mountain.

In September, the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass announced a non-binding referendum vote would take place asking, "Do you support the development and operations of a metallurgical mine at Grassy Mountain?"

The topic has caused a divide in the community.

"Coal mining built the Crowsnest Pass," said Bonnie Castellarin with Citizens Supportive of Crowsnest Coal. "At that time, it was a very thriving community and as the mines closed, it has definitely hurt our community."

Others say the mine would impact and destroy the environment, harm wildlife and worsen drinking water quality.

"I'm a sixth-generation Albertan," said country music singer Corb Lund. "I personally drink the water. So does my family, so do my friends, so do our animals. And so, this is something that's very personal and in my backyard."

"Of course I’m going to use my platform for it."

Lund has been a vocal opponent to coal mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies for years.

To raise awareness against mining, Lund held a benefit concert on Tuesday evening.

"I’ve been dealing with this for three years now and the only thing that works is just screaming at (the provincial government) and that’s what we’re here to do."

The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) accepted an application from Australia-based Northback for coal exploration on the Grassy Mountain site.

Rina Blacklaw with Northback says the company wants to develop a mine in the area that would produce 4.5 million tonnes of metallurgical coal per year over its 23-year lifespan.

"This is an un-reclaimed mine that has been left in it's state for the last 60 years and this is an area that if we can go in and remine, then afterwards we can reclaim that area," Blacklaw told CTV News in an interview.

"We can responsible mine this natural resource in a way that respects the environment and can provide great opportunities for the future."

But Lund says the environmental impacts downstream outweighs the economic benefit in the community of 6,000.

"One of the things that they keep saying is that they can mitigate the selenium and we keep saying show us somewhere where that's been done successful, because so far it's all just, 'Oh, we have new technology and new methods,' and frankly, those of us downstream aren't willing to gamble on them," Lund says.

Blacklaw says there are a number of "different, proven methods and technologies" that work to manage selenium.

"It’s everything from avoidance of selenium creation in the first place. All the water that lands on mine-affected area has to be captured, tested, treated if necessary to meet the regulations before it can be released downstream," she said.

While advance polls were open on Nov. 19, the vote officially runs on Nov. 25.