Environmental groups opposed to coal mining could ask cabinet to declare thermal coal a toxic substance under federal environmental law, the Department of Health said in a formal response to a Commons petition.The department said petitioners may nominate thermal coal for assessment under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to determine whether it meets the criteria for toxic substances. Blacklock's Reporter said if accepted, the designation could lead to new federal restrictions on coal mining, use, export and import.“Petitioners may submit a nomination to the Minister for the assessment of thermal coal to determine if it meets the criteria,” said the department response. Any future blacklisting “could include regulations as a possible risk management instrument.”The response was filed after Green Party MP Elizabeth May sponsored Petition 451-00960 on May 8. The petition called on cabinet to add thermal coal to the federal list of toxic substances and regulate its mining, use, export and import in Canada.The list already includes substances such as asbestos, lead and mercury. The petition to add thermal coal was signed by 110 people.Petitioners argued climate change poses risks to Canadians, wildlife and the economy, citing permafrost melt, drought, heat waves, wildfires, floods, sea level rise, disease risks, supply chain disruptions, infrastructure damage and harm to sectors including agriculture.Health Canada said coal is an organically derived material that occurs naturally in the environment, meaning different deposits have different properties.“Coal used for electricity generation is commonly referred to as thermal coal,” wrote the department..The department said burning thermal coal is a significant source of carbon dioxide emissions, which can contribute to climate change, as well as particulate matter, which it described as a major health concern. Carbon dioxide is already on the federal Toxic Substances List.Coal accounts for about 6% of electricity generation in Canada, mainly in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. National coal production has fallen 31% over the past decade, while foreign thermal coal transshipped through Canadian ports has averaged 10 million tonnes annually.The Liberals promised in their 2021 platform to ban thermal coal exports from and through Canada by 2030. Then-prime minister Justin Trudeau also told the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow that Canada would “continue to do our part.”The Liberal Party repeated the pledge in its 2025 campaign platform, promising a re-elected government would end thermal coal exports from and through Canada no later than 2030.No legislation has been introduced to date.
