Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has pitched a new bitumen pipeline to the B.C. coast, just hours after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a deal with B.C. to make it possible.
Smith and Carney stood together in Calgary to announce that Alberta has formally submitted a proposed route to Carney’s major projects office.
The line would follow closely along a route already traversed by the Trans Mountain pipeline.
It would run from Bruderheim, northeast of Edmonton, to the southern B.C. coast, delivering more than one million barrels per day to tankers and then to Asian markets.
Smith says the Alberta government is partnering with the federally owned Trans Mountain Corporation and Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline on what it calls the West Coast oil pipeline.
Earlier in the day, Carney stood beside B.C. Premier David Eby and promised Ottawa would uphold a tanker ban on B.C.’s northern coast while Eby said his province wouldn’t fight a potential pipeline proposal in court.
(Canadian Press)
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Pattison Media — Smith commented Thursday, saying Canada has everything it needs to be an energy superpower, but only if the infrastructure to get resources to market is built.
“Alberta has done its part by putting forward a responsible, world-class proposal and selecting the strongest route to Canada’s west coast,” she said.
“A west coast oil pipeline will create tens of thousands of jobs, generate tens of billions in new provincial and federal revenues and make Canada more secure and self-reliant. This project will define Alberta’s and Canada’s economic future.”
The Government of Alberta added in a release that the goal is to achieve national interest listing by Oct. 1, 2026, and to obtain the permissions necessary for the design and construction of the pipeline to commence as early as Sept. 1, 2027.
“This important project will be shaped by ongoing collaboration with Indigenous communities across Alberta and British Columbia,” said Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Indigenous Relations.
“Indigenous knowledge and perspectives are essential from the outset and throughout the life of the project to ensure it is carried out responsibly and reflects community priorities. Through respectful partnership, we will advance shared prosperity and strong, enduring relationships.”
According to the province, Indigenous equity partnership and consultation will also be an essential part of developing and constructing the project. That will be achieved through the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation (AIOC) and the federal Canadian Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program, they explain.
“We believe we’ve achieved a framework where the governments are providing the necessary conditions for our companies to both grow production and to build the Pathways Project,” remarked Kendall Dilling, president, Oil Sands Alliance.
“We’d like to thank the Canadian and Alberta governments for their leadership, and the Major Projects Office for its commitment to this process. We look forward to working together over the next several months to put the MOU into operation, to create a Canadian energy superpower, and a more resilient, competitive and sustainable Canadian oil sands sector.”
The province estimates that additional infrastructure from Alberta’s oilsands to B.C.’s coast will ensure Alberta energy resources can contribute to meeting significant Asian demand from countries like Japan, Korea, China and India.
Net export receipts of crude oil have climbed from $6 billion in 2000 to $130 billion in 2024.
“In the face of a global energy crisis, Canada controls our own energy and our future,” Prime Minister Carney stated.
“We are unlocking the full potential of our natural resources and ensuring our independence, sustainability, and prosperity for generations to come. Today, we are capitalising on this opportunity by unlocking $200 billion of new investment across the country. Canada will become the global supplier of choice for our allies and partners around the world.”
Construction and operation of a west coast pipeline project and the Pathways Project will create approximately 175,000 new jobs in Alberta, British Columbia, and across the country, the federal government noted in its release.
“The project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance nation-building energy infrastructure that strengthens Canada’s economy and expands access to global markets for Canadian energy,” Scott Burrows, president and CEO of Pembina, said.
“We are proud to participate in this national priority that brings together the Government of Canada, the Province of Alberta, Indigenous partners, and industry.”
With today’s announcement, the Major Projects Office is advancing a total of 23 nation-building initiatives across nuclear, LNG, critical minerals – such as nickel, graphite, and tungsten – and transportation infrastructure. Together, these projects represent over $135 billion in investments in the national economy and more than 150,000 new jobs.
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