Most Canadians are not aware that coal mining is rapidly expanding in Canada. This extremely problematic industry can and must be stopped. Coal has been known as a dirty fuel for generations. Burning coal contributes significantly to poor air quality, and can have serious health impacts in the communities next to coal mines or coal fired power plants.
The new threat we were un-aware of decades ago is coal's role in climate change. Burning coal for electricity produces more climate changing pollution than burning the equivalent amount of oil or natural gas. This makes stopping the use of coal an obvious place to focus our attention if we hope to stop climate change.
The first step is stopping new coal mines that are proposed in BC and elsewhere in Canada. These new mines and related infrastructure would impact habitat for stone sheep, grizzly bears, and mountain goats. One proposed mine would destroy the winter habitant of a critically threatened caribou herd. These new projects would pollute ground water, threatening human health, important salmon streams and drinking water.
Canada holds billions of tonnes of coal reserves and proposed new mines, expansions of existing mines, and a massive increase in transportation infrastructure are all in the works.
We need immediate action to stop all new coal mines in Canada. If Canada is going to play a responsible role in the world we must not approve new coal mines, we must phase out our existing mines and we need to shut down our coal fired power plants.
Join the fight to stop the Raven Coal Mine on Vancouver Island!
Learn about existing coal mines in British Columbia
Learn about some of the proposed coal mines in British Columbia
