Alberta coal mine permits issued without hearing despite environmental objections

Alberta's provincial regulator has approved a sprawling expansion of the Vista Coal Mine near Hinton that will transform Canada's largest thermal coal operation into the largest in North America — all without a public regulatory hearing, despite formal objections from conservation groups.

The Alberta Energy Regulator issued final permits to Coalspur Mines on July 20, 2026, clearing the way for the company to expand open-pit mining westward along the Rocky Mountain Foothills near Jasper National Park. The approved expansion will cover more than 630 hectares of new mining operations and extend the project's life well into the next decade.

Conservationists fear the mine will damage local watersheds and at-risk fish species downstream, particularly the endangered Athabasca rainbow trout and the threatened bull trout. Environmental groups including the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society Northern Alberta Chapter formally objected to the project, citing concerns about direct destruction of headwater streams in the Athabasca drainage basin and potential contamination with selenium and arsenic.

Tara Russell, program director for CPAWS Northern Alberta, said the decision reflects weak regulatory accountability. "The AER has 'no teeth' to enforce environmental protections," she said, adding that Alberta needs an outright ban on eastern slopes coal mining. "It's just another great example of the AER moving away from any platforms of public scrutiny on these large, extremely impactful projects."

In a statement, the AER said Coalspur has met all provincial approval conditions and that its technical review assessed environmental, social, economic and cultural impacts alongside the operator's mitigation plans. Coalspur did not respond to requests for comment.

The approval comes as debate intensifies over coal regulation in Alberta's eastern slopes and federal efforts to phase out thermal coal exports by 2030 — a target the mine expansion appears to conflict with.