Overview

• An estimated 500 residents packed a Fort Macleod community hall on June 11 to press Premier Smith and her ministers on the recent end to the eastern slopes coal moratorium.
• The Alberta Energy Regulator approved Northback Holdings Corp.’s Grassy Mountain exploration in May after its initial 2021 rejection over environmental concerns.
• Government researchers released a preliminary study warning that old mines are poisoning fish and that further coal development could trigger population collapse.
• Smith and cabinet ministers urged a “responsible development” approach, citing a looming $15 billion lawsuit from five coal companies over lost revenues.
• Polling in Crowsnest Pass showed 70 per cent support for nearby coal projects even as critics demand stronger environmental safeguards.