Saskatoon | Treaty 6 Territory, Homeland of the Métis Nation | June 25, 2025 — The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) Saskatchewan strongly condemns the provincial government’s decision to extend the life of coal-fired power plants beyond the 2030 federal phase-out deadline.
“This decision is a serious threat to public health,” said Dr. Murray Opdahl, family physician and Co-Chair of CAPE Saskatchewan. “Between now and 2031, air pollution in Saskatchewan will cause 3 million illness days, over 12,000 emergency room visits, and between 600 and 2,400 premature deaths. These aren’t just statistics; they are our parents, grandparents, and neighbours.”
CAPE Saskatchewan is calling on the provincial government to:
- Reverse its decision and commit to the 2030 phase-out deadline
- Invest in renewable energy alternatives, storage, energy efficiency, and grid modernization
- Implement stronger air quality standards and monitoring
- Include health impact assessments in all energy policy decisions
“The province says it’s concerned about affordability, but it is ignoring the real costs Saskatchewan families are already paying in asthma attacks, heart disease, hospital visits, and shortened lives,” said Dr. Opdahl. “When the health costs are factored in, clean energy is clearly the more economical choice.”
The province’s coal plants—Boundary Dam, Shand, and Poplar River—are Saskatchewan’s largest industrial source of nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide, pollutants that are directly linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, especially in seniors and those with pre-existing health conditions.
“Pollution doesn’t respect jurisdictional boundaries. Power generation may be provincial, but protecting public health is everyone’s responsibility,” said Dr. Opdahl. “The science is clear: there is no ‘safe’ level of this pollution. Saskatchewan has a choice: cling to coal and become Canada’s largest polluter, or join the global shift to clean energy that protects our health and our future.”
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Media contact:
Reykia Fick
Communications Director | CAPE
647-762-9168
media@cape.ca