Supreme Court refuses to hear Alberta coal appeal on questioning of former minister

Joel Dryden · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 17, 2025 2:11 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Canada's apical tribunal has refused to perceive Alberta's effort to entreaty a ruling compelling erstwhile vigor curate Sonya Savage to attest successful a suit launched by ember companies seeking billions successful compensation from the province.

That leaves successful spot an Alberta Court of Appeal ruling that required the questioning successful narration to the Alberta government's determination to unfastened up mountains to much mining successful 2020 but aboriginal reversing people connected those plans. 

The companies progressive successful the trial, which is acceptable for May, are Cabin Ridge Holdings Ltd. and Cabin Ridge Project Ltd.; Atrum Coal Ltd., on with its subsidiary, Elan Coal Ltd.; Black Eagle Mining Corp.; and Montem.

Northback Holdings also launched a damages assertion successful June 2024, but it volition beryllium heard separately. All together, the 5 companies are seeking northbound of $15 cardinal successful damages.

The ember companies person alleged that the argumentation alteration resulted successful a "de facto expropriation" of their ember assets, costing them financially. The companies' allegations person not been tested successful court.

As a portion of the lawsuit, the companies sought to question Savage, arsenic good arsenic erstwhile situation curate Jason Nixon. A little tribunal initially ruled successful April 2024 neither needed to testify, but the Alberta Court of Appeal disagreed successful February 2025, astatine slightest for Savage.

"We are satisfied that peculiar circumstances beryllium that warrant questioning erstwhile curate Savage and that she is the idiosyncratic champion informed to reply applicable questions to beryllium posed successful narration to the motive, intent and intent of the ministerial decisions, orders and directions," the Alberta Court of Appeal ruling reads.

The tribunal determined Nixon did not request to testify, stating they were incapable to reason helium was "the idiosyncratic champion informed to reply the applicable questions to beryllium posed."

Alberta past sought to get the Supreme Court of Canada to reverse the decision.

CBC News has reached retired to the state for comment. A tribunal day for the civilian suit has been acceptable for May 19 successful Calgary.

Earlier this year, the authorities lifted a prohibition connected ember exploration successful the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Nigel Bankes, a earthy resources and vigor instrumentality expert, said astatine the clip that determination could perchance undermine the ongoing ineligible cases.

Speaking successful January, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the state was reasoning astir taxpayers erstwhile it made the move.

"If you look astatine the lawsuits that person been filed, it's $16 cardinal with the imaginable liability," she said astatine the time. "We person to instrumentality that seriously, and we person to marque definite that the taxpayers are protected. At the aforesaid time, metallurgical ember is incredibly valuable."