In 2025, the government of Saskatchewan decided to extend the life of its coal-fired power plants from 2030-2050, making it the only Canadian jurisdiction to continue its reliance on coal in the modern electricity era.
In addition to the economic and environmental risks associated with this decision there are significant public health impacts of coal-fired power, including asthma, premature deaths, and cardiovascular and respiratory ailments, resulting from particulate matter, sulphur and nitrogen oxides and mercury pollution. These adverse impacts on human health are both avoidable and costly.
This technical backgrounder:
- provides an overview of the policy landscape for coal-phase out in Canada
- estimates and compares Saskatchewan’s future coal-fired electricity generation under two pathways
- highlights health outcomes of coal-fired electricity generation based on these scenarios
A timely coal phase-out is critical to minimize strain on people and health care systems across the province. The province also has at its disposal a number of similar examples of effective phase-outs from neighboring jurisdictions, including Alberta which completed its coal phase out more than five years ahead of schedule.
