July 10, 2021
(Sparwood, BC) North Coal has released its 2020 Sustainability Report that reports on the company’s environmental, social, and governance performance for the Michel Coal Project following the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards. This is the second report prepared using the GRI Standards and the company’s fourth sustainability report.
2020 brought its own unique set of challenges. Our team quickly implemented safety protocols to keep people healthy. As well, our engagement with Indigenous groups and communities moved to an online, virtual world. While we all rapidly learned to navigate the new landscape, we look forward to meeting face-to-face again and connecting with colleagues, Indigenous peoples, communities, and suppliers.
Some report highlights include:
- Zero fatalities, zeros lost-time incidents, and zero environmental incidents.
- On-going water sampling for baseline environmental work at 25 sites across the project area.
- Thirty-four meetings with First Nations and Metis communities.
- $1.6 million spent locally, $3.7 million spent in BC
While this document reports on work we have done over the past year, we are most excited about the work in front of us. North Coal takes seriously our responsibility to protect and manage air and water quality, create a low-carbon steelmaking coal project to help the world’s energy transition and be an engaged corporate citizen.
Steel is a critical component of the global energy transition. It is used in windmills, solar panels, turbines and more. Steel is the most commonly used metal in the world. New steel requires steelmaking coal and will continue to need coal for decades to come while hydrogen technologies or other alternatives are developed to a commercial scale. Roughly 70% of all global steel is made using the blast furnace method. Steelmaking coal acts as a reducing agent converting iron ore to molten ore, as a mechanical support and ventilation to the furnace, and as a source of heat. The International Energy Agency reports that by “mid-century, less than 10% of steel produced globally will use renewable hydrogen as its energy source” (Recharge News).
We are committed to being active and present in local communities in order to engage with and listen to stakeholders. We respect the rights of Indigenous peoples and thank the Ktunaxa for the traditional knowledge they continue to share with our project. Our work in 2021 continues as we reach out to and learn from Indigenous nations in the area.
North Coal believes that the responsible development of Canada’s resources is vital for the 21st-century economy. Critical minerals and materials are in massive demand to support economic and clean infrastructure needs. Canada is a leader in strong regulatory and environmental oversight and meaningful engagement with Indigenous peoples, which is an advantage for our economy.
North Coal is developing the Michel Coal Project, a steelmaking coal mine with an expected 25-year mine life, in the southeast corner of BC. The project is progressing through a federal and provincial regulatory process.