Strategic assessment of thermal coal mining
In December 2019, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change announced that Canada would launch a Strategic Assessment of Thermal Coal Mining, which would guide decision-makers on how new thermal coal mine projects will be considered under the Impact Assessment Act. The draft Terms of Reference were published on July 30, 2020 for a 30-day public comment period, which closed on August 28, 2020.
On June 11, 2021, the Government of Canada released a Policy Statement on future thermal coal mining projects and project expansions, which states that the Government considers that new thermal coal mining or expansion projects are likely to cause unacceptable environmental effects within federal jurisdiction and are not aligned with Canada's domestic and international climate change commitments. The Policy Statement indicates that this position will inform federal decision making on thermal coal mining projects.
This policy statement addresses the primary objective of the Strategic Assessment of Thermal Coal Mining, which was to "guide decision-makers on how new thermal coal mine projects will be considered under the Impact Assessment Act," as per the draft Terms of Reference (published in July 2020). Therefore, in light of this latest announcement, the Strategic Assessment of Thermal Coal Mining is no longer needed and has been cancelled.
Latest update
Participate
-
Location
-
Location not applicable
-
Nature of Activity
- Mines and Minerals
-
Assessment Status
Terminated -
Proponent
Not applicable -
Authorities
- Not applicable
-
Assessment Type
Strategic assessment -
Reference Number
81576