Alberta's 'Water Not Coal' campaign delivers 178K signatures to ban mining

A campaign to ban new coal mining in Alberta’s Rockies has collected thousands of signatures. Organisers now plan to submit their petition on Wednesday, the final official day of the drive. The effort aims to push the government toward a law protecting water and the environment. The 'Water Not Coal' campaign spent four months gathering support. Volunteers set up at public events and even held a horseback ride from Longview to Edmonton to attract attention. Over 3,000 canvassers registered to help with the push.

The petition needed nearly 178,000 signatures to succeed. If verified, it would force the government to either propose a law banning coal mining or put the issue to a public vote.

After submission, the next step is sending the names to Elections Alberta. Officials there will check the signatures before deciding whether the campaign meets the legal threshold. The petition’s outcome depends on verification. A successful result would require the government to act on the proposal. The campaign’s focus remains on protecting water sources and preventing further coal expansion in the region.