Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe recently said the province will continue to use its three coal plants until the end of their lives, beyond the 2030 federal deadline for phasing out coal. Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Wednesday that would be illegal.
“We’ve regulated the ban on coal through CEPA [Canadian Environmental Protection Act], which is a criminal tool that the federal government has,” he said. “So not complying with this regulation would be a violation of Canada’s Criminal Code.”
If Saskatchewan is to keep the plants going, they must be equipped with carbon-capture systems, he said. Moe’s plan is to close one of the plants in 2033, another in 2042, and another in 2044….