SASKATOON — A coalition of 12 health organizations banded together to continue pressuring the government to recommit to phasing out the use of coal-fired power plants by 2030 and drop the plan to extend their operations until 2050.
Health advocates are warning that Saskatchewan’s decision to extend coal-fired electricity generation until 2050 could have serious consequences for public health, while a court challenge seeks to determine whether the province’s plan is legally justified.
Saskatoon physician Dr. Murray Opdahl, who co-chairs the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment in Saskatchewan, said studies have shown the health costs of extending the use of coal-fired power plants could reach $160 million.
Opdahl, in an interview with SaskToday, said that the continued use of coal-fired power plants would expose residents to harmful pollution and place additional strain on the province’s health-care system, as coal plants release pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
These pollutants do not remain confined to the communities surrounding the generating stations. Prevailing winds can carry those pollutants hundreds of kilometres across Saskatchewan and into neighbouring provinces or states down south.
A study conducted by the Canadian non-profit think tank Pembina Institute showed that the provincial government’s plan to refurbish its coal plants may cause 70,000 people to have difficulty breathing, 2,000 cases of asthma and 50 premature deaths or hospitalizations.
“Coal pollution increases asthmatic flare-ups. These small, fine particles, called PM2.5, actually pass into the lungs and into our bloodstream. It can make the blood more sticky and increase the chance of heart attacks, strokes, and even premature death,” said Opdahl.
“That pollution definitely affects the people closest by the most,” he said. “But wind will carry those pollutants for hundreds of kilometres, so it affects southern Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota and other areas as well.”
He then questioned the provincial government’s decision to abandon SaskPower’s previous plans to phase out coal by 2030 and reiterated that renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind, have become increasingly affordable and offer both economic and health benefits.
Opdahl added that there’s been no doubt that renewable energy is a healthier and safer source of energy than continuing to burn coal, arguing that Saskatchewan has significant potential for renewable power generation and energy storage.
The group of medical professionals also wrote an open letter, signed by a coalition of 12 health organizations, calling on the Saskatchewan government to recommit to phasing out coal-fired electricity by 2030 and invest in renewable energy infrastructure instead.
Meanwhile, Saskatoon lawyer Glenn Wright continues to challenge the province’s coal extension decision in court. Wright argues that the government has not adequately explained the rationale behind extending coal use from 2030 to 2050.
“We haven't got an official record of how this decision was made. What we had was a letter that was only three pages long when the decision was made in June of 2025, and since that time, there's been information coming out in dribs and drabs,” said Wright.
Wright said his court application seeks to determine whether the decision was justified, transparent and lawful. He expressed concern that Saskatchewan is moving toward conflict with existing federal regulations requiring coal-fired electricity generation to be phased out by 2030.
“As the law stands today, you are on a course that will break the law,” Wright said. “When you see a government make a decision like this, it undermines the rule of law in our country, and that's why I'm so concerned about this.”
He then questioned whether all available alternatives to coal generation were properly considered, including renewable energy options and the long-term economic implications of carbon pricing, since rising costs associated with the coal extension have increased concerns about whether the decision was based on sound evidence.
Wright noted that the Court of King's Bench dismissed his original application, but the matter is now before the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. He expects further proceedings later this year and said several unions have applied to intervene in the case.
“This is probably the most important decision in a generation with respect to Saskatchewan’s future,” Wright said. “It will have huge impacts on our health, on the environment and on our economy. It's a critical decision that needs to be reviewed.”
