The Water Not Coal petition has reached the minimum number of signatures required under the Citizen Initiative Act, the campaign team announced Monday. The petition calls on the province to ban new coal mining and exploration on the eastern slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains.
Signature Milestone Achieved
In a news release, Water Not Coal stated it reached 177,732 signatures, marking what the group described as a major milestone in province-wide efforts to protect the eastern slopes. The signatures still need to be verified by Elections Alberta. Alberta musician Corb Lund, who has been spearheading the signature campaign, along with Water Not Coal organizers and volunteers, plans to present the petition packages to Elections Alberta on Wednesday afternoon.
Campaign Efforts
Lund expressed gratitude for the canvassers' efforts, noting that signatures have been gathered from all but three of Alberta's 87 ridings. The campaign involved over 3,000 registered canvassers and thousands of signing events across the province. If the petition question is added to this fall's referendum, Lund hopes the government includes Northback Holding's Grassy Mountain project in the question, calling it "the thin edge of the wedge."
The petition specifically mentions Grassy Mountain and Valory Resource's Blackstone projects, but Water Not Coal emphasizes that coal mining threatens the entire eastern slopes region and other river systems in the province. Rancher Laura Laing, spokesperson for Water Not Coal, stated, "This is a clear message from Albertans. People from every corner of the province — rural and urban, ranchers and anglers, farmers and business owners — came together to defend the Eastern Slopes through this petition."
