Enforce coal phase-out

AI summary

Petitioners ask the Minister to use federal powers to stop unabated coal-fired power in Saskatchewan after December 31, 2029, and to publicly report compliance actions. The government responds that federal regulations require the 2029 phase-out, and that Saskatchewan has a time-limited equivalency to 2026 subject to reinstatement if conditions aren't met.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature WHEREAS: Canada has established federal regulations requiring all unabated coal-fired electricity generation across all provinces to cease operation by December 31, 2029; Continued coal-powered electricity generation significantly increases greenhouse gas emissions and undermines Canada's climate commitments; Saskatchewan has indicated its intention to continue operating coal-fired power stations beyond this federal deadline, contrary to federal regulations; and The Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature is responsible under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to administer and enforce federal regulations governing coal-fired electricity generation. We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature to: 1. Take all necessary measures within federal jurisdiction to prevent the continued operation of unabated coal-fired electricity generation in Saskatchewan beyond the federally mandated phase-out date of December 31, 2029; 2. Confirm what specific steps the Minister has taken, or plans to take, to ensure compliance with these regulations in Saskatchewan; and 3. Provide a clear public explanation, as required under the parliamentary petition process, regarding the federal government's actions to uphold and enforce the December 31, 2029 coal phase-out deadline.

Government response

Response by the Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature Signed by The Honourable Julie Dabrusin Moving to cleaner electricity is essential to protecting public health, reducing emissions, and building a competitive, resilient economy. The Government of Canada is taking decisive action and has required all unabated coal-fired electricity to be phased out before 2030, with regulations designed to protect public health, reduce emissions, and ensure Canada meets its international commitments. Over the past decade, there has been significant progress in Canada on phasing out unabated coal, which has contributed to Canada having one of the cleanest and most affordable electricity systems globally. In Canada, jurisdiction over electricity rests primarily with the provinces and territories, who are responsible for the management and operation of their electricity systems, including making choices about which electricity sources to build and operate. The federal government has a role to play, centred on its responsibilities for international and inter-provincial trade, nuclear energy, and its shared responsibility for environmental protection, including addressing greenhouse gas emissions. Early success has been achieved. For example, the use of coal has already been phased out in Ontario and Alberta. The Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity Regulations (Coal Regulations) were first published in 2012 and were amended in 2018. The amendments accelerated the application of emission limits for all coal-fired electricity generation to 2030. The Coal Regulations establish a binding federal requirement that unabated coal-fired electricity generation must cease by December 31, 2029, unless equivalent emissions outcomes are demonstrably achieved under federal law. Through Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Minister oversees compliance, assesses whether equivalency agreements achieve comparable environmental outcomes, and determines whether federal regulatory measures apply. As the Coal Regulations are made pursuant to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, which provides authority for regulating greenhouse gas emissions, enforcement is based on application of the Compliance and Enforcement Policy for Canadian Environmental Protection Act. In December 2024, the Government of Saskatchewan signed an equivalency agreement on the Coal Regulations with Environment and Climate Change Canada in recognition that Saskatchewan currently has measures in place to achieve equivalent outcomes to the Coal Regulations. This provides time for a coordinated transition away from coal. Under the equivalency agreement, Saskatchewan has set emissions caps for the electricity sector through its Management and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases (General and Electricity Producer) Regulations, and annual reporting by the province to the federal government is required. The Coal Regulations were stood down in Saskatchewan as a result of this agreement, which expires on December 31, 2026. Beyond that date, federal regulations will apply in the absence of a new agreement that demonstrates provincial measures resulting in equivalent emissions outcomes. The Government of Canada will continue to work with all provinces and territories to ensure legal obligations and climate commitments are met, while supporting a reliable and affordable shift to clean energy. Equivalency agreements are time-limited and conditional. They do not exempt a province from the 2030 phase-out requirement; rather, they are only maintained where equivalent or better emissions outcomes are achieved. If these conditions are not met, the federal regulations can be reinstated at any time. Achieving net-zero emissions in the electricity sector is a key element of Canada’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions economy-wide by 2050. As part of these efforts, in May 2026, Canada launched Powering Canada Strong: A National Strategy for an Electrified Canadian Economy. This plan aims to double the capacity of our grid by 2050 and supply clean, reliable, affordable power across the country for decades to come. To develop this strategy, the Government of Canada is consulting and working with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, utilities, and unions to identify the actions needed to double our grid most effectively and affordably. The Government of Canada has made significant commitments to support Canada’s electricity systems, with more needed to facilitate the historic build that is required to meet growing demand and accelerate electrification across the economy. The Government of Canada is strongly committed to supporting investment by sharing in the cost of building out electricity systems. To do this, the federal government has established three types of financial support: Tens of billions in investment tax credits, including in Clean Electricity, Clean Technology, and Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage. Strategic financing via the Canada Infrastructure Bank (Clean Energy target of $20 billion), Canada Growth Fund, and Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program (envelope doubled from $5 billion to $10 billion); and, Targeted programming (such as the $4.5 billion Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program). The Government of Canada will also continue to prioritize projects of national interest that support electricity system growth, in particular new electricity transmission projects and strategic interties across Canada. The federal government, which plays a key role in interprovincial trade, is committed to actively supporting provinces and territories in developing intertie connections and is working in close collaboration with provinces and territories to identify impediments to greater regional integration and to finding opportunities to address them. To support the build out of Canada’s nuclear energy capacity at home and abroad, the federal government is developing a transformative new Nuclear Energy Strategy for Canada, which will outline a path forward for nuclear energy in Canada. It will highlight the role that nuclear power can play as an important part of a modern, clean, and better-connected grid. Nuclear energy is expected to support the future electricity needs of several provinces, including Saskatchewan.