After ‘Yes’ vote on coal, Crowsnest Pass council now wants to annex land of proposed mine [Video]

Crowsnest Pass Mayor Blair Painter says council will explore an annexation of the nearby Municipal District of Ranchland, the site of the proposed coking coal mine at Grassy Mountain.

Last week, Crowsnest Pass residents voted decisively in a non-binding vote in favour of the Grassy Mountain coal project, with more than 70 per cent of voters voicing their support.

But the site of the coal project is not actually in Crowsnest Pass, but in the nearby southwestern ranching community. Ranchland has stood in opposition of the coal project for months.

Painter said relations with the M.D. have been “cold” in recent months.

“Our municipality is quite narrow. We were looking for avenues to move to the north. South is a park,” he said. “We need more housing. So there’s a bunch of different reasons why we feel it would maybe be good to do that [annexation].”

Painter added deliberations around a possible annexation are still in their early stages. Coun. Lisa Sygutek made …