Bringing coal policy into the 21st century

December 20, 2024, marked a significant shift in Alberta’s resource sector with the announcement of the Alberta Coal Industry Modernization Initiative (CIMI), which will bring greater focus on what Albertans want to see in the coal industry – environmentally responsible policies that hold industry to the highest standards and encourages investment and job creation.

CIMI addresses the 2021 Coal Policy Committee’s recommendations to build a long-term legislative and regulatory framework to guide responsible coal development across the province. It builds on the 1976 Coal Development Policy that was designed to protect the Eastern Slopes while encouraging responsible mineral development.

The new policy will reflect the highest environmental standards and address issues including:

• Protecting Alberta’s water. New proposals will either need to be underground mines or use mining technologies such as highwall automated underground mining, that move minimal amounts of overburden, to prevent selenium and silt entering our water.
• Prohibiting mountaintop removal mining, which has never occurred in Alberta. There will be no new open-pit coal mines approved for the Eastern Slopes region. 

So how do we make this new coal policy a reality? Starting in early 2025, we will engage directly with the coal industry, letting them know what will and will not be allowed for new coal mines moving forward in Alberta. We are going to let them know we are not handing over the keys for unlimited coal development in our precious natural spaces. In return we want them to tell us what works in other jurisdictions that focus on environmental protections as an important part of responsible coal development.

From there, a modern policy that protects the environment, drives investment in our province and ensures Albertans are treated fairly by resource industries will be built. Our goal is to have this new policy ready for government approval before the end of next year. 

We are taking a whole government approach to this and will do the hard work that previous governments avoided to deliver a modern coal policy that makes sense for Alberta.

For more information on Alberta’s coal policy work, visit: 

Coal Industry Modernization Initiative

Coal Policy Committee engagement

1976 Coal Development Policy