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2w ago

Carney Locks In Northern Tanker Ban as Ottawa Registers New West Coast Pipeline Plan

Federal protections for B.C.’s north let Ottawa accept a Trans Mountain–corridor proposal that points to a southern terminal while major commercial and regulatory conditions remain unresolved

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith pose with a copy of the proposal for a new oil pipeline from Alberta to B.C. after it was presented Thursday to the federal government's "Major Projects" office.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith arrived together at the press conference in Calgary where they announced plans to build a new oil pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast as a private-public partnership.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announce a proposed pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast in Calgary on Thursday, July 02, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Todd Korol

Overview

  • Prime Minister Mark Carney and B.C. Premier David Eby announced a Canada–B.C. Cooperative Prosperity Agreement on Thursday that reaffirms the federal North Coast oil tanker ban and ties multibillion-dollar federal investments to provincial cooperation.
  • Hours later Ottawa and Alberta revealed that Alberta formally submitted a proposed route to the Major Projects Office that follows the Trans Mountain corridor to a Delta/Roberts Bank terminal with Trans Mountain named lead developer and Pembina taking an initial roughly 10 percent stake.
  • The Alberta submission estimates the pipeline at $35.2 billion to $43.7 billion and Ottawa pledged complementary funding for B.C. projects including $3.5 billion for the North Coast Transmission Line, up to $3 billion for the Massey Tunnel replacement, $10 billion for Roberts Bank upgrades and $500 million for Red Chris expansion.
  • The plan includes promises of Indigenous ownership participation and immediate consultations and links progress to finalizing the Pathways carbon‑capture deal, but it lacks firm shipper commitments and a confirmed private-sector sponsor.
  • Significant hurdles remain before construction can start because project financing, long-term shipper contracts, a finalized Pathways agreement and regulatory approvals must be secured and previous Trans Mountain experience shows public exposure can be large and costly.