Northback: The Grassy Mountain Project
This letter is intended to help inform residents of Crowsnest Pass about Northback Coal’s proposed project.
In the first part of my account, I strive to simply share what happened and my observations. Following that, I will lay out my concerns and provide more of an analysis of the situation. I accept this is a complex issue with deep roots in this community, so I want to attempt a balanced and logical assessment of Northback developing its coal mining project. I have done what I can to gain community, historical, and industrial context to help inform my perspectives and analysis. Thank you for caring about this issue and taking the time to consider my examination.
I have lived in the Crowsnest Pass since 2022 and quickly discovered the underlying tension of coal-related work. A notable portion of the population profits from the works of Elk Valley coal mining, which promotes economic stimulus to the whole community. Although aware of the potential negative socio-cultural and environmental impacts of coal mining, I initially accepted this reality and became apathetic toward the industry. I considered the chance of negative impacts to our community low since Elk Valley is across the border and in another watershed.
Shortly after this acceptance, I learned of Riversdale Resources, now Northback, and their plans to start a coal mine in the Pass. I quickly became less apathetic and started investigating the company's history. I learned they are owned by Hancock Prospecting. I attempted to find projects from all three company names that reflected the current proposed plan for just north of Blairmore. The only information I could find, that was not painted in PR jargon, was from a few articles (here's an example) about a project that went south in Africa. With a failure of logistical oversight and a lack of community integration, the project crumbled. I combed through every page on Northback's website, looking for some track record of successful projects that maintained environmental integrity while ensuring the community was appropriately compensated. I eventually searched on YouTube to see if there was a report or something I missed and found an interview with Northback CEO, Mike Young. At the end of the interview, he encouraged people to email him directly. After trying to understand the context and full scope of the project, I narrowed my concerns and questions down to the following three:
Screenshot of my first email. Click to view larger.
To my surprise, I heard back from Daina, the Manager of Community Relations and a local. She offered for me to meet with her and Mike for a conversation and I was relieved they were willing to spend time hearing and responding to the questions I presented. As I walked into the Blairmore office, I was kindly greeted and the meeting started shortly after. We covered the topics I wanted to discuss and a few additional tangents. A few responses that stood out to me were:
Northback does not control how the MD manages the funds it would receive from the project.
They are owned by the very wealthy Hancock Prospecting so reclamation and abandoning the project would be of little concern.
After the initial 23-year timeline and ~93 million tonnes of coal being extracted, there could be more plans made for how to convert the area into recreational use.
They would provide around 300 local jobs.
Mining would not impact the eastern slopes or the Westslope Cutthroat Trout because they plan to operate on the opposite side of the divide.
Refuse material from modern mining would be used to reclaim historical mining on-site.
These are the notable points I made while listening in our meeting. Daina took more thorough notes, which were only for internal use upon my request to view them.
On a personal level, Mike and Daina were friendly with satisfactory responses to everything I asked. Throughout my time there, Mike was complimentary, even showing me his bike and connecting on recreation. On my way out, he offered to give me his personal contact so we could keep in touch and take a look at the site together. They agreed to take my advice and to include past projects on their website to show people their successes with similar undertakings.
Now that I have detailed my interaction, this is where I may stray from observation and provide more of an analysis. I left that meeting simultaneously skeptical and hopeful. So much of what they shared left me with the question:
"Can I trust them personally, and Northback corporately, to follow through with what they say?"
After the August long weekend, I sent a follow-up email to Daina, simply thanking them for their time and asking about the notes made during the meeting. I waited two weeks and heard nothing. I sent another follow-up, this time CC'ing Mike's email as well:
Within minutes I received an email which I will not share due to the note in their email signatures saying: This email and any accompanying attachments contain confidential information intended only for the individual or entity named above. Any dissemination or action taken in reliance on this email or attachments by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you believe you have received this message in error, please delete it and contact the sender by return email.
Second email follow-up. Click to view larger.
This is where I want to tread carefully due to the emotive ambiguity of email. However, after such a warm reception and departure from meeting in person paired with silence for two weeks, the response I received felt cold and dismissive, claiming to have not recalled the website updates and completely ignoring the personal contact sharing. I am not naive and did not expect Mike to send me his information. Again, this question of trust arises. Can I trust them to do the little things they say they will do? If I can, I may trust this project's larger-scale plans more and advocate for it. And if I am honest with myself, after our first encounter I would have easily campaigned for this project to proceed.
My final thoughts are that I want this region to prosper, economically, socially, and ecologically. I want people here to be whole and healthy. There is an opportunity for a once-abandoned mining site to be less damaged and future economic hope for locals. However, sensitive species and ecosystems are at risk of malpractice and human greed. History shows that human error and industrial development are paired like fine wine and cheese but less enjoyable. I believe that economic, social and environmental prosperity can occur in tandem, one does not have to be at the cost of another. I have attempted to educate myself equally on the side of the affirmers and opposers and find myself uncomfortably in the middle, seeing the benefits of both flanks. I want the Pass to be a place where I can confidently and comfortably raise kids with the values I think are important. Trust, integrity, financial stewardship, and ecosystem care, are part of my values related to this project. Unfortunately from my experience and observations, Northback has yet to demonstrate those qualities.
Some things I think could have been communicated differently and would have swayed me more toward ‘voting yes’ for the Grassy Mountain Project:
Less aspirational statements and claims; show a track record
Providing any history of how the company has succeeded or is currently on track with similar plans and projects
Company leaders follow through on promises
Elaborating on how the company will respond to negative outcomes of the mining process, including community compensation