Doctors say the respiratory and cardiovascular health of Albertans will improve as soon as the first coal-powered plants shut down under the province’s new climate change plan.
But the president of the Coal Association of Canada said the plan to close all 18 of Alberta’s coal-fired electricity plants by 2030 is short-sighted and will hurt coal-miners, rural towns and companies.
“We’re talking about people losing their livelihoods,” said Robin Campbell, who recently became the president of the Calgary-based coal association after serving as Alberta’s finance minister before his defeat in the spring provincial election. Campbell estimated 3,000 coal miners work directly in Alberta’s coal plants. Many more work in businesses that supply the mines and plants. “What’s important for people to realize is there are real faces involved in the decision made by government on the shutting down of coal-fired generation. … We’re looking at causing some real harm to real families in Alberta by being short-sighted.”
On Sunday, the province released its climate change plan that includes an end to coal pollution by 2030. Twelve of the province’s 18 coal-fired electricity plants are already scheduled to shut down in the next 15 years, but the province will hire a negotiator in the coming weeks to work with the coal industry on timelines and compensation.
“What we are doing here is undertaking an orderly evolution and transformation of the electricity system,” Environment Minister Shannon Phillips said. “We have pledged that we will ensure that this orderly transition is fair for workers, fair for communities, fair for consumers, fair for the companies.”
Dr. Joe Vipond, a Calgary emergency physician, said Alberta’s coal plants produce 33 per cent of the sulphur dioxide in the province, 10 per cent of the nitric oxide in the province and about six per cent of industrial emissions and a specific type of particulate matter. That pollution contributes to asthma and breathing problems, heart attacks, strokes and irregular heart beats.
When TransAlta’s Sundance 1 and 2 plants west of Edmonton shut down temporarily between 2010 and 2013 because of engineering issues, Vipond said the air became cleaner.
“By focusing on these plants we can really make a huge impact,” Vipond said. “(Health improvements) should be pretty immediate right after those are shut down.”
A 2008 report by the Canadian Medical Association estimated that air pollution from coal cost Alberta $300 million in health-care costs, and caused 700 emergency room visits.
“By reaching zero coal emissions by 2030, we will reduce ER visits, protect Albertans and save hundreds of millions of dollars in costs that impact the health care system,” Health Minister Sarah Hoffman said Monday.
Campbell said the coal industry “has done a good job of being environmental stewards of the landscape and understand their responsibilities.” He said money in the province’s technology fund, into which high emitters in industry contribute, should be spent on coal technology to make “coal more user-friendly.”
“If the data are correct on the health risks — I haven’t had a chance to study it yet — with new technologies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions we can help alleviate some of these health problems,” Campbell said. “But to put all of these health problems on the coal industry is unfair at this point in time.”
He said his association needs to know the parameters and mandate of the provincial negotiator: who will first in the compensation queue? Campbell asked. When coal towns shut down, will people be compensated for the lost value on their homes? Then there are shareholders who have invested millions.
“The government needs to understand what kind of money we’re about talking here at the end of the day,” Campbell said.
Interim Progressive Conservative Leader Ric McIver said consultation is a must. He has heard one of the Keephills coal plants is almost as efficient in terms of emissions as natural gas plants.
“While it’s fine for the government to say we’re switching to natural gas, perhaps they should work with industry to keep working on that technology that’s come so far and see if they can push it farther and then they don’t have to lock billions of dollars of value in the ground because Alberta is essentially built on a coal bed,” McIver said.