Corb Lund says ‘Water Not Coal’ petition has met signature threshold
Posted June 8, 2026 1:09 pm.
Alberta musician Corb Lund says his Water Not Coal campaign that pushes for a ban on new coal mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies has gathered enough signatures.
The petition, which Lund was authorized to begin circulating in February, required just under 178,000 signatures by Wednesday to meet Alberta’s Citizen Initiative Act threshold.
According to Lund, the campaign surpassed that mark after a province‑wide volunteer effort involving 3,000 canvassers, thousands of signing events, and extensive community outreach.
“Albertans showed up for their water, their land, and their future,” said Lund in a statement. “Reaching this threshold proves what we’ve known all along, people care deeply about protecting our headwaters, our Rocky Mountains, and our way of life.”
The petition will be delivered to Elections Alberta on Wednesday at 3 p.m., where officials will begin the formal verification process.
If validated, the initiative would move to the next step under the Act, requiring the Alberta legislature to either pass a law banning new coal mining or send the question to a provincewide vote.
The petition specifically targets proposed projects such as Grassy Mountain and Blackstone, warning of risks to headwaters that feed major river systems. Lund has been a prominent critic of renewed coal exploration since 2020, when the province briefly removed long‑standing protections on the Eastern Slopes and began issuing leases.
After widespread public backlash, the government reinstated the rules and halted lease sales. It has since announced plans to ban mountain‑top removal and new open‑pit mines, though regulations are still being finalized and some advanced projects remain in the approval queue.
With files from The Canadian Press
