'Let's do this': Crowsnest Pass mayor wants proposed coal mine sooner than later

Residents enter a polling station to cast their votes in a plebiscite on whether to support a new coal mine in Crowsnest Pass, Alta., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

A mayor in southwestern Alberta is hoping for an immediate meeting with Premier Danielle Smith to discuss a coal project his community has voted in favour of being built. 

"The sooner the better," said Crowsnest Pass Mayor Blair Painter. "Let's do this." 

Residents of the municipality, which saw its last coal mine close four decades ago, voted 72 per cent "yes" to a simple referendum question: “Do you support the development and operations of the metallurgical coal mine at Grassy Mountain?” 

The result isn't binding and has no influence on regulatory or legal challenges. But many in the municipality are hoping the steelmaking coal project proposed by Australia-based Northback Holdings will provide a much needed economic boost. 

"Council at some point in the near future will have discussion on how we move forward with this," Painter said.

"We will be meeting with the minister of energy and hopefully with the premier again and plead our case as to why we should have this mine here."

The Alberta Energy Regulator is to hold hearings next week on Northback's application for a coal exploration program, a deep drill permit and a temporary diversion project to collect technical data related to the Grassy Mountain project.

The company says the exploration program would use water from previously mined end-of-pit lakes and would not be connected to nearby creeks, rivers or bodies of water.

David Thomas, the communications coordinator with Crowsnest Headwaters, which led the "no" campaign, said the battle isn't over.

"The battleground now shifts to the rest of Alberta. We had a vote here in the Crowsnest Pass of people who were feeling left behind by social and economic change. And they expressed their views, and I have great sympathy for them," Thomas said Tuesday.

"The downstream flow of Crowsnest and Oldman rivers are seriously in jeopardy now. The danger's now clear and present."

Thomas said the message would be taken to municipalities, irrigation districts and food processing companies that the mine is not a good deal.

The mayor of High River, south of Calgary, sent a letter to the premier last week asking the province to consider broader impacts of the mine.

Craig Snodgrass said he wants the government to undertake additional local and provincewide public consultation before the project moves forward. 

"The non-binding referendum being conducted in the Crowsnest Pass should not be considered as the only voice in this decision-making process," Snodgrass said in the letter.

"Consideration should be extended to all of Albertans downstream of the headwaters, who will experience profound repercussions created from these operations."

Snodgrass said that includes ecological impacts, agriculture production, wildlife preservation and quality and cleanliness of drinking water.

Painter said the project has plenty of hurdles to pass and the concerns are being overblown.

"Everybody has concerns. Water's vital," he said.

"We all want clean water. But I think people should be smart enough to know that you cannot do a project of this magnitude without regulations on both the provincial side and the federal side."

Bonnie Castellarin with Citizens Supportive of Crowsnest Coal said her volunteer group backs "responsible mining" and she understands the two sides in the debate are a long way apart. 

"Realistically, it's not over. We will continue to forge ahead. They will continue to forge ahead. I doubt we will ever meet in the middle, because both groups are very passionate," she said.

Castellarin, who grew up in the area, said she understands there are environmental concerns, but things have changed since the original mine at Grassy Mountain was shut down decades ago.

"Pardon my frankness, but the company 60 years ago came, they raped the land and they left. It's terrible," she said.

Northback, by contrast, intends to reclaim the land it mines as it goes along and clean up what was left by the previous company, said Castellarin. 

Northback spokeswoman Rina Blacklaws said the vote result was welcome news.

"This vote provides a clear mandate as Northback moves forward with regulatory approvals with the support of residents in the Crowsnest Pass," she said in a statement.

"The government of Alberta needs to provide clarity on regulatory processes and certainty for resource investment, in general."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024.