Why This Canadian Community Is Betting on Coal Again

A proposed metallurgical coal mine in Alberta’s Crowsnest Pass is reviving an old industry at a time when Canada is looking for new trade relationships beyond the United States. Northback Holdings says Grassy Mountain could supply steelmaking coal to customers in Europe and Asia while bringing jobs and investment back to a community that lost much of its mining economy. But opponents, including municipal leaders and environmental groups, argue that the mine would damage local ecosystems and contribute to climate change.