By Robin Herald

April 12, 2026 - Before most of us have had our first coffee, we are already surrounded and supported by steel. The frame of our homes, our appliances and furnaces. The rebar in our schools and hospitals. The bridges we cross, the vehicles we drive, the wind turbines rising on the prairie horizon. Steel is so woven into daily life that we barely notice it.

What we don’t notice is what makes that steel possible.

More than 70 percent of the world’s steel is still made in blast furnaces that require metallurgical coal, often called steelmaking coal. While new technologies are emerging, they remain small-scale, costly and years away from replacing conventional production on a global scale. For decades to come, steel and the coal that makes it will remain foundational to modern life.

That matters here in Alberta.

A citizen-led initiative aims to stop new coal development in the province. It is driven in part by understandable concern, but also by a misunderstanding of what metallurgical coal is and why it matters.

Metallurgical coal is not used for power generation. It is a critical industrial input.

Canada is the world’s seventh-largest producer of steelmaking coal. In 2024, the country exported nearly $10 billion worth of coal, almost 90 percent of it metallurgical. More than 10,000 Canadians work directly in the sector, with additional jobs supported across rail, ports, engineering, environmental services and manufacturing.

These are not abstract figures. They represent families in communities like Crowsnest Pass, Tumbler Ridge, Sparwood and Grande Cache.

Opponents often argue that coal projects are rushed or unregulated. The reality is quite different. In Alberta, the Alberta Energy Regulator operates at arm’s length from government. Projects must undergo environmental assessments, public hearings and detailed scrutiny. Decisions can be (and are) challenged in court, and projects that fail to meet standards are rejected.

Water quality is another common concern. Canada’s coal mines are subject to strict federal Coal Mining Effluent Regulations under the Fisheries Act, which set enforceable limits.

The Elk Valley in British Columbia is often cited as a cautionary tale, but less often as a story of progress. Decades of mining created water quality challenges, leading to the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan in 2013 to stabilize and reverse high selenium concentrations while allowing mining to continue more sustainably.

Alberta has learned from that experience. Today, regulators require detailed water management plans, continuous monitoring and public reporting. Mitigation measures from engineered water treatment to controlled rock storage and wetland systems are required.

Reclamation is not an afterthought. Companies must post financial security before mining begins under Alberta’s Mine Financial Security Program, ensuring taxpayers are protected. Land is progressively reclaimed, and certificates are issued only when regulators confirm standards are met.

Perhaps the most overlooked reality is this: if responsible Canadian producers step back, global steel production does not stop. Steelmakers will source metallurgical coal from jurisdictions with weaker environmental oversight and lower labour standards. The world will still build bridges, hospitals and clean energy infrastructure. The question is where those materials are produced.

There is also a broader risk.

Alberta’s strength has long been its transparent, evidence-based regulatory system. Investors watch closely to see whether projects that meet environmental and legal standards can proceed. A sweeping ban on new development risks creating uncertainty that extends beyond coal — potentially affecting future investment in minerals essential to renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.

Albertans deserve both strong environmental protections and a resilient economy. Polling consistently shows a majority support responsible resource development when strict safeguards are in place.

This conversation should not be framed as “coal versus environment.” It should focus on how essential materials are produced responsibly and competitively at home.

Every time you turn a key in the ignition, watch your children walk into a school or drive across a steel bridge, you are relying on a supply chain that begins long before the furnace.

The real question is not whether the world will continue to need steel. It will. The question is whether Alberta will help supply it under high environmental standards or leave that responsibility and opportunity to others.

Robin Campbell is the president of the Coal Association of Canada.