Alberta to appeal ruling ordering release of documents on coal mining in Rockies

Logged areas near the Ram River Coal Corp. proposed Aries Mine Pit site west of Rocky Mountain House, Alta., Tuesday, June 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken

EDMONTON — Alberta is appealing a judge's ruling that ordered the release of internal documents on coal mining in the province's Rocky Mountains.

The lawyer for the ranchers who requested the documents under freedom of information laws is confirming the decision from Alberta Energy.

King's Bench Justice Kent Teskey ruled earlier this month that the United Conservative government must release thousands of pages of internal communications pertaining to its plan to remove decades-old protections from those landscapes.

Teskey also warned the government that the courts would resist granting requests for judicial reviews if they were seen as delay tactics to frustrate the release of information.

The government's decision comes after Premier Danielle Smith promised in the legislature that the government would release whatever documents the court requires.

Late Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for Brian Jean, Alberta's minister for energy and minerals sent a statement.

“All documents required by the courts will be released," said Jean.  "We are releasing the majority of these documents once FOIP reviews have been completed on the unreviewed sections. We are filing a limited appeal on a small number of documents, once that process is complete we will release any information required."

Alberta Energy was not immediately available to comment on its decision.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2024.