OTTAWA -- Environment and Climate Change Canada abandoned its work on ending thermal coal exports without ever notifying the public and without any record of being directed to do so.
An auditor general report tabled today criticizes the move and points out that Canada is co-chair of an international alliance meant to help countries transition away from coal.
Burning coal is one of the most polluting forms of electricity generation and in 2021, Canada committed to banning thermal coal exports by 2030.
The audit found that while Environment Canada worked for three years to find a way to enforce the ban, that work stopped altogether in November 2024 after lobbying from the coal industry.
The auditor general said the work was stopped without any official direction from Ottawa and the government did not announce the shift.
Thermal coal exports were higher in 2025 than they were in 2021, the auditor general said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2026.