Canada Quietly Abandoned Thermal Coal Export Ban, Auditor General Finds
An Auditor General report reveals that Environment and Climate Change Canada halted work on a 2021 commitment to ban thermal coal exports by 2030. The effort stopped in November 2024 following industry lobbying without public notice or recorded official direction, and was formalized in August 2025 for cost-saving reasons.
Environment and Climate Change Canada quietly abandoned its work on banning thermal coal exports by 2030, according to a new report from the Auditor General. The department made the commitment in 2021 but ceased enforcement efforts without notifying the public or producing evidence of an official direction to do so.
Work on enforcing the thermal coal export ban stopped altogether in November 2024 after lobbying from the coal industry. The department did not produce any record showing it was officially directed to discontinue the work at that time. The decision was later formalized in August 2025 when the federal government sought cost-saving measures.
The Auditor General found no clear records indicating that the department provided the minister with an assessment of the implications of stopping all work on the export ban. This lack of transparency hinders certainty for provincial governments, mining companies, transportation authorities, shipping terminals, and the labour force regarding a just transition.
Despite the 2021 pledge to end thermal coal exports by 2030, such exports were higher in 2025 than they were in 2021. The abandonment of the domestic policy comes as Canada serves as co-chair of an international alliance meant to help countries transition away from coal.