It seems to me that this would be another way to diversify the economy away from oil and gas which is what many have been calling for. While we don't like the reality of it, the steel we use in almost everything is made using metallurgic coal and there is currently no replacement, unlike thermal coal used for electricity.
If capital is willing to invest in Alberta to develop our resources, and do it under our strict environmental regulations, then I think we need to encourage it. The article paints Teck Resources in a negative light, but they are a leading Canadian company and have a strong record of ESG performance. We should be encouraging these types of companies to invest here and capitalizing on the benefits that go along with having natural resources, before they are no longer of value. I'm not saying we should strip mine every mountain but waiting for the next Facebook, Telsa or Amazon to set up offices in Calgary is not going to get us out of this economic black hole.
But somehow I suspect these projects will never happen because of how resource development has gone in Canada over the last decade. The CBC is already jumping on this and we have all seen how environmentalists can stifle projects using indigenous groups and court challenges. Our society doesn't seem willing to accept that our competitive advantage is our resources, not our moral superiority.
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