Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online
The south side of Boundary Dam Power Station. Photo by Brian Zinchuk
Updated with comments from the minister Thursday morning
SASKATOON – The Saskatchewan Environmental Society put out an invitation for the public to attend the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal hearing in its ongoing anti-coal-fired power generation case. That invitation was posted on Facebook on Sept. 1.
Here’s what it said, verbatim:
Two weeks from today, a panel of judges at the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal will be asked to decide whether our application for judicial review of Saskatchewan’s coal extension decision should be allowed to proceed to a full hearing.
Earlier this year, the Court of King’s Bench struck our case on procedural grounds without hearing the evidence and without deciding whether the provincial government’s plan is legal, reasonable, or consistent with Canada’s climate obligations.
The federal government requires conventional coal-fired electricity to be phased out by 2030. But the Saskatchewan government wants to refurbish its coal plants and extend coal-fired power anyway. To make matters worse, the provincial government still has not provided the public with a clear evidence-based justification for this decision.
That’s why we’re appealing. Saskatchewan people deserve transparency, accountability, and a full court review before the province is locked into decades more of dirty, costly coal-fired power. In fact, cleaner, safer, and more affordable options are already available — including energy efficiency and conservation, wind and solar power, battery storage, and stronger interprovincial connections.
You are welcome (and encouraged) to attend and observe the proceedings. Your presence is a powerful way to show that Saskatchewan people are paying attention!
Court of King’s Bench, 520 Spadina Crescent E., Saskatoon
Tuesday, September 15
10:00 a.m. (Arrive early to have time to get through security.)
That said, space in the courtroom could be quite limited.
- 0135 SASPO-2988_Self serve_2026_YouTube0135 SASPO-2988_Self serve_2026_YouTube
- 0121 Ministry of Energy and Resources April 20260121 Ministry of Energy and Resources April 2026
- 0134 SASPO-2956_ Safety 20260134 SASPO-2956_ Safety 2026
- 0133 LC Trucking hiring Class 1A Payden0133 LC Trucking hiring Class 1A Payden
- 0132 UMWA 20260132 UMWA 2026
- 0129 Turnbull drivers operators0129 Turnbull drivers operators
- 0128 OSY Rentals updated0128 OSY Rentals updated
- 0126 Steel_Reef_Promo_0126 Steel_Reef_Promo_
- 0118 IBEW 30 sec0118 IBEW 30 sec
- 0114 Prospera Bold Vision0114 Prospera Bold Vision
- 0113 Miller Epic Cinematic Hollywood trailer0113 Miller Epic Cinematic Hollywood trailer
- 0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended
- 0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p
- 0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
- 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
- 0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
- 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
- 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
- 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
- 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
- 0022 Grimes winter hiring
- 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
- 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
- 0002 gilliss casing services0002 gilliss casing services
- 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
- 9001
This is the case where an injunction was brought before the courts seeking to end coal-fired power generation. It was brought on in 2025 by a then-12 year old, a podcaster and someone who doesn’t even live here, as well as two environmental groups.
Pipeline Online has covered this epic extensively, starting with this five part series which you might want to catch up on (story continues after):
- 0135 SASPO-2988_Self serve_2026_YouTube0135 SASPO-2988_Self serve_2026_YouTube
- 0121 Ministry of Energy and Resources April 20260121 Ministry of Energy and Resources April 2026
- 0134 SASPO-2956_ Safety 20260134 SASPO-2956_ Safety 2026
- 0133 LC Trucking hiring Class 1A Payden0133 LC Trucking hiring Class 1A Payden
- 0132 UMWA 20260132 UMWA 2026
- 0129 Turnbull drivers operators0129 Turnbull drivers operators
- 0128 OSY Rentals updated0128 OSY Rentals updated
- 0126 Steel_Reef_Promo_0126 Steel_Reef_Promo_
- 0118 IBEW 30 sec0118 IBEW 30 sec
- 0114 Prospera Bold Vision0114 Prospera Bold Vision
- 0113 Miller Epic Cinematic Hollywood trailer0113 Miller Epic Cinematic Hollywood trailer
- 0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended
- 0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p
- 0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
- 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
- 0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
- 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
- 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
- 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
- 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
- 0022 Grimes winter hiring
- 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
- 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
- 0002 gilliss casing services0002 gilliss casing services
- 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
- 9001
This all led to the injunction being tossed out of court, seen here:
Which then led to this appeal:
The difference now is that both the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2067 and United Mine Workers of America Local 7606 have both retained council and sought intervener status. The workers most closely associated affected by decisions whether or not their jobs and livelihoods will continue are taking a stand.
UMWA and IBEW are sharing a lawyer, Dan LeBlanc.
UMWA
Jody Dukart, International Auditor/Teller for United Mine Workers of America, told Pipeline Online, “This is our livelihoods, and yeah, we’re not going to just sit back and let this happen. We want to be part of this appeal, and are a part of it now.”
In an email, he said, “From the UMWA’s standpoint, this is pretty simple. We respect anyone’s right to bring an issue before the courts, but when you’re talking about decisions that could affect hundreds of jobs and the future of communities in southeast Saskatchewan, the workers affected need to have a voice too.
“For our members, this isn’t just a debate about energy policy. These are their jobs, their families and their communities. Coal miners and power workers have kept the lights on in Saskatchewan for generations, and we’re proud of that.
“We’re not against reducing emissions or looking at new technology. But before anyone talks about shutting down coal, there needs to be a realistic answer about what replaces it, whether it can provide reliable power when Saskatchewan needs it most, what it’s going to cost ratepayers, and what happens to the workers and communities left behind.
“That’s really why Local 7606 decided to get involved. If decisions are being made that could determine whether our members have jobs in the future, then we aren’t going to sit on the sidelines. We want their voices heard and their interests represented.
“At the end of the day, we’re going to stand up for our members, their families and the communities that have supported this industry for generations.”
- 0135 SASPO-2988_Self serve_2026_YouTube0135 SASPO-2988_Self serve_2026_YouTube
- 0121 Ministry of Energy and Resources April 20260121 Ministry of Energy and Resources April 2026
- 0134 SASPO-2956_ Safety 20260134 SASPO-2956_ Safety 2026
- 0133 LC Trucking hiring Class 1A Payden0133 LC Trucking hiring Class 1A Payden
- 0132 UMWA 20260132 UMWA 2026
- 0129 Turnbull drivers operators0129 Turnbull drivers operators
- 0128 OSY Rentals updated0128 OSY Rentals updated
- 0126 Steel_Reef_Promo_0126 Steel_Reef_Promo_
- 0118 IBEW 30 sec0118 IBEW 30 sec
- 0114 Prospera Bold Vision0114 Prospera Bold Vision
- 0113 Miller Epic Cinematic Hollywood trailer0113 Miller Epic Cinematic Hollywood trailer
- 0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended
- 0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p
- 0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
- 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
- 0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
- 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
- 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
- 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
- 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
- 0022 Grimes winter hiring
- 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
- 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
- 0002 gilliss casing services0002 gilliss casing services
- 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
- 9001
IBEW
Ken Hoste, assistant business manager with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2067 said in an email, “IBEW Local 2067’s priority is protecting Saskatchewan workers, families and communities whose livelihoods are directly tied to coal-fired generation. For generations, workers at Boundary Dam, Shand, Poplar River, and the Poplar River Mine have provided Saskatchewan with reliable electricity.
“We believe refurbishing and extending the life of Saskatchewan’s coal fleet is a responsible decision on the part of the current government. It protects skilled Saskatchewan jobs, maintains reliable generation and provides true energy security by preserving our ability to generate the electricity Saskatchewan needs right here at home.
“Saskatchewan people elect governments to make decisions about energy policy, economic development and the future of electricity generation. Courts have an important responsibility to determine whether governments have acted within the law, but decisions about what Saskatchewan’s generation mix should look like are ultimately policy decisions for elected governments.
“For our members, this debate is about much more than ideologies or how electricity is generated. It is about mortgages, families, careers and the future of communities like Estevan and Coronach. These are highly skilled workers who have spent their careers keeping Saskatchewan’s lights on, and they deserve more than being told their jobs must disappear before a credible replacement plan exists.
“IBEW Local 2067 supports a strong and reliable electrical grid in Saskatchewan . Refurbishing our coal fleet protects reliability, Saskatchewan’s energy security and thousands of workers and their families. This is the reason why IBEW 2067, in partnership with our Brothers and Sisters at UMWA Local 7606 have worked to get a seat at the table in this appeal.”
Minister for SaskPower
Minister of Crown Investments Corp. and Minister Responsible for SaskPower Jeremy Harrison said in an email: “While we cannot comment on any case before the courts, Saskatchewan’s power system should be built around reliability and affordability, not ideology. The reality is that we will not, and can not, shut down a third of the reliable baseload power grid on which our province relies, which at the same time would immediately put 1400 people out of work and devastate two communities. Coal will continue to play an important role in keeping our grid reliable and power rates affordable as we work toward the next generation of baseload power, including nuclear. Our government’s Energy Security Strategy is a responsible all of the above approach that keeps the lights on today while building a secure, reliable, and affordable energy future for Saskatchewan.”
- 0135 SASPO-2988_Self serve_2026_YouTube0135 SASPO-2988_Self serve_2026_YouTube
- 0121 Ministry of Energy and Resources April 20260121 Ministry of Energy and Resources April 2026
- 0134 SASPO-2956_ Safety 20260134 SASPO-2956_ Safety 2026
- 0133 LC Trucking hiring Class 1A Payden0133 LC Trucking hiring Class 1A Payden
- 0132 UMWA 20260132 UMWA 2026
- 0129 Turnbull drivers operators0129 Turnbull drivers operators
- 0128 OSY Rentals updated0128 OSY Rentals updated
- 0126 Steel_Reef_Promo_0126 Steel_Reef_Promo_
- 0118 IBEW 30 sec0118 IBEW 30 sec
- 0114 Prospera Bold Vision0114 Prospera Bold Vision
- 0113 Miller Epic Cinematic Hollywood trailer0113 Miller Epic Cinematic Hollywood trailer
- 0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended
- 0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p
- 0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
- 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
- 0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
- 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
- 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
- 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
- 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
- 0022 Grimes winter hiring
- 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
- 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
- 0002 gilliss casing services0002 gilliss casing services
- 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
- 9001