Meet Coal: Understanding the Elk Valley’s Role

The Elk Valley has long been the backbone of Canada’s steelmaking coal industry — a place where hard work, innovation, and natural resource stewardship come together to power communities across the country.

Meet Coal is a new initiative designed to reintroduce Canadians to this vital sector and to remind us all of the essential role that metallurgical coal plays — not only in the Elk Valley, but in the modern world.

From Fernie to Sparwood to Elkford, generations of Elk Valley families have worked in and supported mining. These communities know better than most that metallurgical coal is not thermal coal — it’s the critical ingredient in steelmaking. Every beam, bridge, and turbine that shapes our world depends on it.

As Canada moves toward a lower-carbon future, the demand for responsibly produced steel will only grow. That means continued need for high-quality Canadian met coal — the very product the Elk Valley is known for around the world.

The Elk Valley has become a global model for how to mine responsibly. Our companies and communities have led the way in environmental monitoring, water quality innovation, and land reclamation. This commitment to continuous improvement ensures that mining remains compatible with the landscapes and watersheds we all value.

Yet too often, the national conversation around mining is shaped by organizations outside our region that focus on opposition rather than collaboration. The Meet Coal initiative is about restoring balance to that conversation — by providing Canadians with the full picture, rooted in facts and the lived experience of communities like ours.

Metallurgical coal from the Elk Valley helps produce the steel used to build renewable energy projects, hospitals, electric vehicles, and public transit infrastructure. Supporting a competitive, growing met coal sector means supporting Canada’s ability to build, innovate, and maintain energy and supply chain security.

Canadians overwhelmingly support responsible mining. We value good jobs, strong communities, and sustainable development. The Elk Valley demonstrates that all three are possible.

As we look ahead, let’s recognize the Elk Valley not just as a mining region, but as a cornerstone of Canada’s future prosperity. Let’s ensure that our voices, our expertise, and our reality are part of the national conversation about resource development.

Steel is essential. Canada’s metallurgical coal makes it possible — and the Elk Valley makes it happen.