Ranchers 'vindicated' but concerned after court forces government to share coal policy documents
It took four years in court, but a group of Eastern Slope ranchers will finally get access to thousands of pages of documents outlining when and how the province decided to tear up 44 years of coal policy.
"The courts are being stalled up with resistance to release these materials that belong to Albertans," said Laura Laing, a rancher based west of Nanton.
"As hard as they've been fighting for us to not see the rest of the documents – because what hasn't been redacted is fairly damning – I would suggest we have a lot to find out on this file."
The group had already received a series of five packages from the province through FOIP, but more than half of the roughly 1,300 were completely blank.
Those documents were spread between 2021 and 2023.
Many questions remain.
"Like, how did we get to almost opening up the entirety of the Eastern Slopes to industrial open pit coal mining – it would have been the largest development that Alberta has ever seen – without the knowledge of Albertans?" Laing said.
There are some clues – a revision of the 1976 Eastern Slopes coal policy was underway at least as early as October of 2019.
The policy brought in under Peter Lougheed's government prevented all coal mining development along virtually all of the Eastern Slopes from the Crowsnest Pass to Kananaskis Country.
But late on the Friday afternoon before the 2020 May long weekend, the province issued a statement saying it was accepting new coal licence applications.
Following broad public outcry, the Jason Kenney government eventually re-instated the long-standing protection policy, but not before attempting to auction rights as far north as Mist Ridge in Kananaskis and allowing the building of at least 65 kilometres of new exploration roads.
"This feels like a validation of a lot of hard work and a lot of energy by some good people," said Rachel Herbert of Trails End Beef near Nanton.
Current Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean's office issued a statement on Wednesday:
"The decision is under review to determine if an appeal should be filed. We recognize that there is public interest related to coal production in Alberta, which is why the department has released many public documents and information through FOIP requests and other disclosure mechanisms. With the exception of the designated advanced coal projects, the ministerial order stopping coal development and coal exploration in the foothills remains in effect."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.