Environment minister restores federal assessment of Alberta coal mine
CBC
Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has reinstated his decision to subject a thermal coal mine expansion in Alberta to a federal review after a court ordered him to rethink it.
"Following the reconsideration process, I have determined that the physical activities warrant [federal] designation," Wilkinson said in a statement regarding the proposed Vista expansion project.
Coalspur Mines is seeking to expand its existing surface mine near Hinton in north central Alberta. The expansion would make Vista the largest thermal coal mine in North America. The company also plans an underground test mine on the site.
A federal environmental review is required when a mine expands its footprint by 50 per cent or more, or if it plans to produce more than 5,000 tonnes of coal a day. In the early stages of its development, Vista would come in just under those thresholds and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada ruled in 2019 that Ottawa wouldn't get involved.
However, in 2020 Wilkinson decided that the footprint was close enough and that production would eventually exceed the level triggering a federal review. He revoked the agency's decision and ordered a joint federal-provincial process, considered to be a more rigorous than a purely provincial assessment.
That decision was challenged in Federal Court by Coalspur and Ermineskin First Nation.
Ermineskin supports the project for its economic benefits and argued its treaty rights were violated when Wilkinson failed to consult with them. Court agreed with Ermineskin and ordered Wilkinson to reconsider.
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