Red Deer residents are set to gather near the Collicutt Centre on April 13, 2026 (1pm tp 3pm), to collect signatures for a province-wide petition aiming to ban new coal mining in Alberta‘s Rocky Mountains and headwaters. The rally, being held on the sidewalk along 30th Avenue, is part of a larger citizen-led movement to secure legislative protections for the Eastern Slopes.
The petition campaign, spearheaded by Alberta musician Corb Lund, requires 177,732 signatures by June 10, 2026, to force a provincial referendum. Organizers are asking the government to pass legislation that would stop all coal exploration and mining activities in the region, with the exception of projects already in production as of January 1, 2026. This would include blocking proposed developments like the Grassy Mountain project and the Blackstone project.
Public concern regarding coal development has grown since January 2025, when the provincial government lifted a moratorium on coal exploration in the Eastern Slopes. In May 2025, the Alberta Energy Regulator authorized new exploration for the Grassy Mountain site, a project that had previously been rejected by both provincial and federal regulators in 2021 due to environmental and economic concerns. CPAWS Southern Alberta reports that more than 70 percent of Albertans remain opposed to new coal development in these sensitive areas.
Environmental advocates point to existing issues with legacy mining as a major reason for the current push for protection. Scientific testing has found that selenium runoff from coal mines is contaminating Alberta rivers, with some sites showing levels that exceed federal safety guidelines by up to 100 percent. These findings raise concerns about the long-term impact on fish populations and the quality of water flowing downstream.
The debate also highlights significant financial risks for the province. The government has already paid out over $143 million to settle a lawsuit with a coal company following policy changes, and currently faces potential liability totaling billions from other pending legal challenges. If the current petition campaign reaches its signature goal, Premier Danielle Smith has confirmed the issue will be included in the October 2026 provincial referendum.
