Canadian mining town recycles coal past into clean energy future

A former Canadian mining town is seeking to reinvent itself by turning its industrial legacy into a clean energy opportunity. Officials in Cumberland are exploring whether water that has accumulated in abandoned coal mines can power a community-wide geothermal heating and cooling network.

The research is part of the Cumberland District Energy project, which aims to support redevelopment, stimulate economic growth and reduce emissions, according to Canadian media reports.

The initiative is examining whether water collected in the old mine shafts and tunnels can serve as a stable geothermal resource for local buildings.

For more than eight decades, coal defined Cumberland’s economy and identity, employing thousands and exporting millions of tonnes of coal. When the mines shut down, they left behind an extensive underground network — and a town searching for a new path forward.

The proposal relies on a simple temperature principle. Water trapped underground in the former mines stays cooler than surface air in summer and warmer in winter, said ACET community energy planner and project lead Zachary Gould. Heat pumps could use this steady temperature to provide heating and cooling at relatively low cost and with near-zero carbon emissions.

Because the mine tunnels run beneath much of the village, the resource could potentially supply a significant portion of the community. Geologists have mapped the underground system to assess whether it can sustain long-term energy production.

Early modelling is centered on a proposed redevelopment of a civic precinct that may include a community center, municipal offices and affordable housing, as well as a nearby industrial zone closer to Comox Lake.

The geothermal idea originated locally. More than a century after the first mine opened, area geologists began discussing methane produced by former mines and exploring alternative uses for the subterranean infrastructure. Over time, those conversations shifted toward using mine water for heating and cooling, according to Cumberland geologist Cory MacNeill.

Unlike deep geothermal systems that require drilling far into the Earth to access high-temperature water, Cumberland’s approach would rely on shallower mine water to moderate seasonal temperature swings.

If an initial pilot proves technically and financially viable, the system could expand across what experts describe as a vast labyrinth of tunnels beneath the town.

Supporters argue that affordable, low-carbon heating and cooling could make local industrial land more attractive, particularly for heat-intensive businesses such as greenhouses and food processors. New investment, they say, could generate jobs, broaden the tax base and strengthen Cumberland’s long-term economic resilience.

By Nazrin Sadigova