Applications 1961436, 012-00011876, 003-00466983, and 34052847

Public Notice of Application: Transfer of the CCA Permit & Licences, transfer of the EPEA Approval, and transfer of the WA Approval and WA Licence for the PMRU Sheerness Coal Mine (Mine No 1809) from PMRU to WestMET.

Notice of Application
Applications:

  • Coal Conservation Act (CCA) Application No.:  1961436 for transfer of CCA Mine Permit C 99-6, as amended, and Mine Licence C 2005-16, as amended;
  • Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) Application No:  012-00011876 for transfer of EPEA Approval 00011876-05-00; and
  • Water Act (WA) Application No. 34052847 (App ID 34052903) for transfer of WA Licence 10004385 and Application No. 003-00466983for transfer of WA Approval No. 00466983-01-00.

Prairie Mines & Royalty ULC (PMRU) and WestMET Group Canada Ltd.
Sheerness Coal Mine (Mine No. 1809).  

The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has received the following applications for the transfer of approvals and licences for the Sheerness Coal Mine (Mine No. 1809). The transfer application is from Prairie Mines & Royalty ULC (“PMRU”) to WestMET Group Canada Ltd. (“WestMET). The applications are:

  • Application No. 1961436 under the Coal Conservation Act (CCA) for the transfer of:
    • Mine Permit C 99-6, as amended; and
    • Mine Licence C 2005-16, as amended;
  • Application No. 012-00011876 for the transfer of Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) Approval No. 00011876-05-00; and
  • Water Act (WA) Applications:
    • No. 34052847 (App ID 34052903) for the transfer of WA Licence No. 10004385; and
    • No. 003-00466983 for the transfer of WA Approval No. 00466983-01-00.

This notice also sets out the deadline for filing statements of concern (SOC) on this integrated application. See the section below on how to file a SOC for filing dates.

Description of the Applications

PMRU has applied under the CCA, EPEA, and the WA, for the transfer of permits, licences and approvals for the Sheerness Coal Mine (Mine No. 1809) from Prairie Mines & Royalty ULC (“PMRU”) to WestMET Canada Group Ltd. (“WestMET). The Sheerness Coal Mine is an open pit surface coal mine in the western part of the Sheerness Coal Field. The Sheerness Coal Mine is adjacent to the former Montgomery Mine on the east and Highway 36 on the west. The Sheerness mine permit under the CCA spans various sections within Townships 028 and 029, Ranges 12 and 13, west of the 4th Meridian, near Hanna, Alberta covering around 7,074 hectares. 

Previously two active pits at the Sheerness mine provided approximately 3.4 million tonnes (annually) of sub-bituminous coal to the two-unit, 780-MW Sheerness Generating Station. Coal is no longer mined at Sheerness due to  coal phase-outs and the conversion of the Sheerness Generating Station from coal to natural gas. 

Current operations in portions of the former coal mine site are focused on the mining of humalite, a naturally occurring material derived from decomposed plant and algal matter in coal seams that has application in the agricultural industry. The high humic and fulvic acid content of humalite provides significant agricultural benefits, enhancing soil fertility and health.

For a copy of the applications, contact

WestMET Canada Group Canada Ltd.
Suite 1270, Clark Builders Place
5555 Calgary Trail NW
Edmonton, AB  T6H 5P9
Attention:  Kyle Hobbs, Director of Operations
Telephone:  403-884-3024
E-mail:  khobbs@westmetgroup.com 

To view the applications and supporting documents, submit an information request, as outlined at www1.aer.ca/ProductCatalogue/ordering.html, to

AER Information Distribution Services
Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4
Telephone: 1-855-297-8311 (toll free; option 0)
Email: InformationRequest@aer.ca 

Requirement to File a Statement of Concern

If you have concerns with these applications, you must file a statement of concern as described below. If you do not file a statement of concern, the AER may approve the applications without further notice.

How to File a Statement of Concern

For your submission to be considered a valid statement of concern, it must be filed by 11:59 p.m. on the filing date below. Send one copy of your statement of concern to Prairie Mines and Royalty ULC (PMRU) at the name and address above and one copy either online via the AER’s web-based form or by mail or email:

Online: https://www.aer.ca/applications-and-notices/participant-involvement/statement-concern/statement-concern-form

Mail or email:
Regulatory Applications Alberta Energy Regulator
Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4
Fax: 403-297-7336
Email: SOC@aer.ca 

Statement of Concern filing date:  Friday, June 19, 2026

Contents of a Statement of Concern

For your submission to be considered a valid statement of concern, it must include

  1. why you believe that you may be directly and adversely affected by a decision of the AER on the application;
  2. the nature of your objection to the application;
  3. the outcome of the application that you advocate;
  4. the location of your land, residence, or activity in relation to the location of the energy resource activity that is the subject of the application; and
  5. your contact information, including your name, address in Alberta, telephone number, and email address or, if you do not have an email address, your fax number.


Confidentiality

Section 49 of the Alberta Energy Regulator Rules of Practice (Rules of Practice) requires that all documents and information filed in a proceeding be placed on the public record. If you file a submission, you must not include any personal information that you do not want to appear on or are not authorized to put on the public record. Section 49(2) of the Rules of Practice states how to apply to the AER for an order to keep information confidential. The Rules of Practice is available on the AER website at www.aer.ca.

Jurisdiction

Statements of concern relating exclusively to compensation for land use are not dealt with by the AER. For land use concerns, not related to geothermal development, please contact the Land and Property Rights Tribunal. Under section 21 of the Responsible Energy Development Act (REDA), the AER does not have jurisdiction to assess the adequacy of Crown consultation associated with the rights of Aboriginal peoples as recognized and affirmed under the Constitution Act, 1982.

For information on AER procedures, refer to the AER website at www.aer.ca.

Issued at Calgary, Alberta, on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

ALBERTA ENERGY REGULATOR