Coal mining received support in Crowsnest Pass during a residential vote on Monday.
More than four decades since coal mining ended in the southern Alberta region, the municipality asked its 6,000 residents to answer the following question: “Do you support the development and operations of the metallurgical coal mine at Grassy Mountain?”
With a 53.6 per cent turnout of eligible voters, 72 per cent, or 1,957 residents, voted in favour of the new project. The vote received a ‘no’ from 769 residents.
The proposed mine project is led by Northback Holdings, which was formerly known as Riversdale Resources and Benga Mining. The last mine in Crowsnest Pass closed in the early 1980s.
Voters participated in an advance polling process last week, with the municipality saying over 1,000 residents cast ballots.
Results are non-binding, which means officials will not be required to take any specific action, but the poll was a way to see how much of the community feels about the project. The issue remains before Alberta’s energy regulator and opponents are challenging the project through the courts.
