A February 28 press release from the government of Saskatchewan announced funding to support the communities of Estevan and Cornach – the province’s principal coal-producing communities – as they transition after the federally- mandated phase-out of traditional coal-fired electricity generation by 2030. Estevan is scheduled to receive $8 million and Cornach $2 million in this provincial announcement – money that had already been pledged in the government’s Throne speech in October 2019 .
Climate Justice Saskatoon has studied and compiled research into the coal transition for these two communities as a project called Future of Coal. A useful timeline highlights key developments in the phase-out process from 2017 to 2019 and a report, Bridging the gap: Building bridges between urban environmental groups and coal-producing communities (2018), reports on “in-depth conversations with coal and service industry workers, town administrators, union representatives, and farmers” in Cornach and Estevan.
The federal Task Force on a Fair and Just Transition for Canadian Coal Power Workers and Communities visited the two communities – briefly noted in their What we Heard report and reported at length by the Estevan Mercury newspaper here. The Regina Leader Post reported in detail on the anxiety and frustration of workers in “ ‘Energy city’ feeling powerless as coal phase-out haunts Estevan” (June 2019) . Workers are members of United Mine Workers Local 7606 , and many are hoping that investment in carbon capture and storage (CCS) might prolong their working lives. A video explains their view of CSS here on the Local 7606 website .
