Corb Lund frustrated over uncertain fate of 'Water Not Coal' petition

Organizers of the 'Water Not Coal' petition are expressing frustration and concern over the uncertain fate of their initiative, which aims to prevent new coal mining projects in Alberta's Rocky Mountains. The petition, spearheaded by Alberta rancher and country singer Corb Lund, has gathered over 200,000 signatures, significantly exceeding the 178,000 required for a provincial referendum.

The petition specifically targets two proposed projects: Northback Holdings' Grassy Mountain project and Valory Resource's Blackstone mine. Lund argues that coal mining in the foothills poses a severe threat to the Eastern Slopes region and the headwaters of major rivers, including the Athabasca, Oldman, and North Saskatchewan systems.

After submitting the petitions to Elections Alberta last week, organizers were informed by Premier Danielle Smith that the question would need to undergo a committee process before potentially appearing on a referendum ballot. Smith stated this on her radio show, "Your Province Your Premier." This process, organizers fear, will likely prevent the question from being included in the upcoming October referendum.

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Now she’s pretending that, through some technicality, she’s not going to put it on the referendum.

"Now she’s pretending that, through some technicality, she’s not going to put it on the referendum," said Corb Lund, expressing his disappointment. Despite Lund's distrust of the government's commitment, he remains resolute, stating, "We fully expect to be on the referendum if our signatures are verified. Not only do we expect to be on the referendum, but we expect our question to be used verbatim."

Alberta's coal policy has been a contentious issue for years. In 2020, the provincial government removed long-standing protections for the eastern slopes, allowing for exploration leases. However, widespread public opposition led to the reinstatement of protections and a halt on new leases. Elections Alberta is expected to validate the petition results by July 1.

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We fully expect to be on the referendum if our signatures are verified. Not only do we expect to be on the referendum, but we expect our question to be used verbatim.