Environment minister resigns amid coal policy spotlight

Premier accepts resignation effective January 2 as new minister inherits high profile eastern slopes files.

Grant Hunter was sworn in as Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Protected Areas on Friday, January 2, after Rebecca Schulz resigned from cabinet.

The change in the environment portfolio comes as the province continues to face intense public attention on coal related files and watershed protection in the Eastern Slopes, including ongoing debate that has rippled through communities across the Crowsnest Pass and the broader Highway 3 corridor.

Schulz announced her resignation in late December, saying she planned to leave cabinet effective January 2 and later step down as the United Conservative Party MLA for Calgary Shaw.  In her public explanation for leaving, Schulz said, “Timing is everything in life and in politics, and it is time for me to seek new opportunities in my career.”

In a statement provided to the Pass Herald by the Minister’s Office, Hunter’s office framed the transition as a continuation of the government’s approach to environment and economic development.

“Here in Alberta, we believe you can protect both jobs and the environment – we don’t choose one over the other. Minister Hunter will build on former Minister Schulz’s great work and success in protecting the environment for future generations, while creating jobs and growing our economy to new heights. We can do it all here in Alberta, and nobody does it better.”

The statement said the government’s priorities, as outlined in Premier Danielle Smith’s mandate letters, “remain unchanged,” with the office pointing to a mix of emissions reduction goals, energy expansion and water focused commitments.

“Minister Hunter will keep working to reduce emissions while doubling energy production to meet rising energy demands. He will also continue expanding flood and drought protections and improving our water system to ensure it meets the challenges of today, while also working on speeding up land use plans, keeping invasive species out of our province, and working to create a long-term path to address tailings ponds more quickly and effectively.”

For communities watching coal proposals and legacy contamination concerns, the minister’s office also stressed that regulatory authority over coal approvals sits with the Alberta Energy Regulator, not the environment ministry.

“All regulatory approvals, enforcement and monitoring around coal projects will still be led by the AER.”

The statement added that the ministry’s own water monitoring program will continue in parallel, describing what it called a science-based approach, including monitoring stations and testing for selenium and other indicators.

“In addition to the monitoring required by the AER around each site, Environment and Protected Area continues to conduct year-round water monitoring. We have the best monitoring system in the world, and that also isn’t changing. Our science-based program includes 12 monitoring stations in the Eastern slopes and another 88 at locations downstream. Surface water quality management frameworks are also in place, and test for selenium and 100 other indicators.”

The minister’s office also made a broader claim about water quality, stating, “Alberta already has some of the cleanest water in the world, and that will not change.”

While the statement did not reference specific projects by name, coal proposals in the south and along the Eastern Slopes have remained a recurring flashpoint for residents concerned about water quality, fish habitat and long-term cumulative impacts, alongside residents focused on employment, investment and municipal tax base stability.

The office said Hunter intends to engage directly with Albertans as he settles into the new role.

“As the new Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, Minister Hunter looks forward to meeting and working with local communities, businesses, industry, and all Albertans across this great province to keep protecting our environment while growing the economy for years to come.”

The focus will now shift to how the minister will apply those stated priorities in practice, including what the province will signal on coal related oversight, water monitoring transparency and the pace of land use planning in the months ahead. Residents who want to weigh in can watch for upcoming public engagement opportunities and submit questions directly to the minister’s office.