Problem

Alberta is the most carbon-intensive province in Canada. In 2015, Alberta contributed 38% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, even though it represented only 11% of the population. At that time,early 55% of the province’s electricity was generated from coal.

In the summer of 2015, the Alberta Government created an advisory panel on climate change, which led to the birth of their Climate Leadership Plan, committing to the complete phase-out of coal power plants by 2030 and the introduction of an economy-wide carbon tax. This meant retiring 40% of Alberta’s installed capacity, and significantly impacting the workforce and local communities built around the coal industry.

Responses

Following the release of the Climate Leadership Plan in 2015, the Alberta Federation of Labour created the Coal Transition Coalition (CTC) to incorporate the interests of coal workers and their communities. CTC, together with Alberta's Advisory Panel on Coal Communities, was tasked to collaborate with workers, communities, and First Nations to produce recommendations for supporting groups impacted by the coal phase-out.

In 2018, the Government created a C$40 million Coal Workforce Transition Fund to support workers who needed to move or undergo additional training to find new jobs or transition to retirement. Separate funding was also allocated to improve regional economic development and income diversification for local communities. For community support, the Government allocated a C$5 million Coal Community Transition Fund to invest in 12 community projects across the province. Grants to support regional economic development were also distributed to support projects focusing on innovation, investment and tourism.

In June 2024, Alberta had close down its last dedicated coal plant in the province. This coal phase-out had reduced GHG emissions from electricity by about 54% compared to the year 2015 when the CTC was first created.

Find out more: World Resources Institute