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432-00550 (Natural resources and energy)

Paper petition

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the House of Commons

We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:

Whereas, Asia is the main consumer of thermal coal of over 3 billion tons per year to generate electricity.

Whereas, China will be phasing out thermal coal for electricity by 2050 to reach carbon neutral by 2060.

Whereas, for the next thirty years China will be purchasing coal from many different countries with different degrees of quality, sulfur content, environmental and labour standards.

Whereas, Alberta mines thermal coal with very low sulfur content with the highest environmental and labour standards in the world. This thermal coal is for export and not for domestic use.

Therefore we, the undersigned, call on the House of Commons to take the following actions to address the situation:

1. Keep mining thermal coal in Alberta because it has the highest environmental and labour standards with very low sulfur content, thus giving China access to better coal to lower their environmental footprint as they eliminate thermal coal for the electrical generation.

Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable JONATHAN WILKINSON

Canada is launching a strategic assessment under the Impact Assessment Act to solicit feedback on policy considerations related to thermal coal mining and to consider the future of new and significantly expanded thermal coal mine projects in Canada under federal review.

The strategic assessment will include, but not be limited to:

  • Environmental and health impacts of thermal coal mining and end use of thermal coal such as the impacts on air, water, wildlife, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, and related health impacts.
  • Market analysis of projected demand for thermal coal. This will include an overview of Canada’s current and proposed thermal coal mines, an assessment of the economic importance of the thermal coal mining sector in Canada, and projections of future domestic and global demand for thermal coal mined in Canada.
  • The use of thermal coal, including the export of thermal coal and its impact on Canada’s international commitments and initiatives. This strategic assessment will consider the implications of thermal coal mining and export on Canada’s related domestic and international policies, commitments and objectives, including the Powering Past Coal Alliance.

A committee of government officials, led by Environment and Climate Change Canada in collaboration with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, Natural Resources Canada and Global Affairs Canada, will conduct the strategic assessment of thermal coal mining.

In conducting the strategic assessment, the committee will:

  • Conduct engagement sessions with key stakeholders;
  • Engage with Indigenous groups throughout the process;
  • Provide an opportunity for the public to comment on a draft strategic assessment of thermal coal mining; and,
  • Publish a final strategic assessment of thermal coal mining.

We intend to be in a position to have that conversation with Canadians completed, hopefully by the end of this year, with the publication of a final report in 2022.

 

Presented to the House of Commons
Gerald Soroka (Yellowhead)
February 23, 2021 (Petition No. 432-00550)
Government response tabled
April 12, 2021
Photo - Gerald Soroka
Yellowhead
Conservative Caucus
Alberta

Only validated signatures are counted towards the total number of signatures.