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EDMONTON — Alberta’s chief electoral officer has approved a new citizen initiative proposal aimed at banning new coal mining on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, allowing organizers to move closer to collecting signatures.
Elections Alberta says Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure has determined the application meets the requirements of the Citizen Initiative Act. A notice of initiative petition was issued and published Monday on the agency’s website, formally launching the next stage of the process.
The proposed initiative would require the Alberta government to prohibit all coal exploration and mining activities within the eastern slopes, with an exception for mines already in production as of Jan. 1, 2026. The proposal explicitly includes Northback Holdings’ Grassy Mountain project and Valory Resources’ Blackstone project, as well as any plans to expand existing mines.
The initiative was filed by proponent Corby Lund.
During the notice publication period, McClure will determine whether the requirements to appoint a chief financial officer for the initiative have been met. Once the period ends, Elections Alberta will issue the official petition, publish the signature collection window and required number of signatures, and release the approved signature sheets.
Elections Alberta says signatures collected on any other forms will not be accepted and canvassing cannot begin until the petition is formally issued.
While the application marks progress for opponents of coal development in the eastern slopes, the track record for citizen led initiatives in Alberta remains challenging. Elections Alberta data show all completed citizen initiatives to date have failed to meet the required signature thresholds, with one exception.
The only successful effort so far was the Alberta Forever Canadian petition launched by former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk, which seeks to block any attempt at Alberta separation from Canada.
Other efforts, including several recall petitions, have fallen short. Among them was a recall initiative targeting Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, which did not collect enough valid signatures within the legislated time frame.
Elections Alberta is an independent, non partisan office of the legislative assembly responsible for administering provincial elections, by elections and referenda.
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