Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announcing proposed route for new West Coast pipeline
What to know about today’s West Coast pipeline developments
B.C. deal with Ottawa keeps North Coast oil tanker ban in place
Prime Minister Mark Carney and B.C. Premier David Eby announced a multibillion-dollar deal for resource projects and other priorities that includes a commitment from Ottawa to keep the North Coast oil tanker ban in place. The deal comes as Alberta is set to unveil more details on its proposed oil pipeline plan.
A new deal between British Columbia and the federal government on Thursday effectively blocked Alberta from proposing a contentious new pipeline to the northern West Coast, while leaving the door open for such a project if it took another route to the Pacific.
B.C. Premier David Eby and Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a multibillion-dollar resource deal on Thursday morning. As part of that deal, Carney agreed to uphold a ban on tanker traffic off B.C.’s North Coast – which thwarts any pipelines to that area, since tankers wouldn’t be allowed to pick up or drop off any oil there.
The deal with B.C. was announced just hours before Carney travelled to Alberta to make a pipeline announcement with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Carney and Smith separately declined to comment on the specifics of the announcement ahead of time, but Smith said at an unrelated news conference that the two governments have reached a “mutually satisfactory” agreement.
Documents obtained by CBC News last month showed Alberta was considering an export point in northern B.C., which is geographically closer to Asia, among other factors. But B.C. has been just as strongly opposed to that route over environmental concerns. A southern route was also on the table.
Eby reiterated his concerns on Thursday, but appeared to concede to a potential pipeline so long as the North Coast stays protected by the tanker ban.
“This agreement doesn’t require us to support any pipeline proposal from Alberta, however, as I’ve said before, we recognize our constitutional position, and we do not have the authority to stop a new pipeline,” Eby said in Vancouver. “We will not be going to court to fight a pipeline project.”
Later, federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Carney for backing what he described as a “ridiculous” oil tanker ban. Poilievre said Ottawa should approve an Albertan proposal, noting he wasn’t personally opposed to a pipeline through southern B.C.
“Provide the permit, let the private sector build it, get out of the way and get it done,” Poilievre said in Camrose, Alta.