THE PHASE OUT FOR THERMAL COAL IN ALBERTA MEANS THE END OF A JOB....AND A WAY OF LIFE FOR THESE MINERS

By Chandrayee Roy Choudhury, Canada

Coal has been mined Alberta for more than 100 years, playing a key role in the local economy and identity. Tall smokestacks are a fixture on the horizon.

And while there’s plenty of coal left in the rolling fields around Lake Wabamun, that black rock will remain in the ground as the mine closes.
As the world intensifies efforts to combat climate change, coal — a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions — is on its way out. Canada has committed to phasing out all coal-fired electricity by 2030.

But the year before that pledge, Alberta’s previous NDP government made the same commitment, while promising to help the workers and communities affected with the transition.

It has all happened more quickly than the workers expected
So like losing a job for some workers ,a job which pays them more than $100,000 a year is very depressing and challenging for them.

 It's daunting for these workers, without a college diploma, university degree or trade certificate, to think about finding a new job.
 
 The Highvale mine is Canada’s largest surface strip coal mine, spanning more than 126 square kilometers — about the same size as Lethbridge. The mine is just south of Lake Wabamun and about a 45 minute drive west of Edmonton.

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