CALGARY — A new survey has shown Alberta voters are massively divided along partisan lines over whether new coal mining should be prohibited in the Eastern Slopes of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains.
The ThinkHQ Public Affairs survey released Wednesday found that an overwhelming 85% of Alberta NDP supporters would be in favour of prohibiting new coal mining activity in the Eastern Slopes, compared to only 6% who would vote against it.
Among UCP supporters, just 24% would support a ban — a 61-point gap with NDP voters — while 41% would oppose it and 35% would remain undecided.
ThinkHQ asked respondents how they would vote if presented with the question: “Should the Government of Alberta prohibit by law any and all new coal mining activities, including approvals and permits, within the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains?”
Province-wide, 52% favoured a ban, with 25% saying no and 23% saying they were unsure.
Overall, when the undecided respondents were removed, ThinkHQ calculated the decided vote at 68% in favour and 32% opposed.
“Coal mining in Alberta’s Eastern Slopes continues to be one of the province’s most emotionally and politically charged natural resource issues,” ThinkHQ president Marc Henry commented.
“These results suggest that many Albertans remain concerned about future mining activity in the region and would welcome stronger legislative protections.”
In Alberta’s major urban centres, 60% of respondents in Calgary supported a ban, with 20% against.
In Edmonton, support was 55%, with 24% opposed.
Outside of major urban areas, support for coal prohibition was lower in northern Alberta (46%) and southern Alberta (47%).
Central Alberta residents who were polled were the most divided, with 29% supporting a ban, 40% opposing it and 31% unsure.
“While opinions vary across geography and political affiliation, the overall balance of public opinion currently favours halting new coal development in the Eastern Slopes,” Henry said.
“The findings also illustrate that the issue remains highly salient, with a significant proportion of Albertans continuing to engage with the debate.”
The large gap in partisan sentiment comes after months of the Western Standard reporting that examined connections involving NDP-linked organizations, strategists and communications firms active in Alberta's anti-coal movement, in particular country singer Corb Lund’s Water Not Coal campaign.
Lund’s campaign submitted roughly 207,000 signatures to Elections Alberta, but the Chief Electoral Officer determined 172,088 were valid — about 5,600 short of the required threshold.
According to ThinkHQ, if Lund’s petition question demanding a prohibition on new coal mining had been placed on the upcoming October 19 referendum ballot, it would have likely passed.
Water Not Coal recently announced plans to seek judicial review of Elections Alberta's methodology and decision.