Supreme Court won’t hear appeal on questioning former Alberta minister in coal suit

The Supreme Court of Canada says it won’t hear an appeal by the Alberta government regarding a decision to have its former energy minister questioned in a multibillion-dollar coal mining lawsuit.

The $15 billion lawsuit, launched in 2023, argues five coal companies were left with land they couldn’t use after Alberta reimplemented its long-standing coal mining policy following public backlash.

Reinstating the policy meant coal mining was restricted or banned in certain areas where companies bought land after the policy was first lifted in 2020.

The companies sought to have former energy minister Sonya Savage and then-environment minister Jason Nixon appear for questioning, but an initial ruling meant neither had to testify.