Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is set to announce her government’s proposal for an oil pipeline to the West Coast on Thursday.
The premier’s press secretary, Sam Blackett, confirmed the date to Global News on Tuesday. At the time, he said it would provide details about a “new one-million-barrel-per-day” pipeline.
Smith’s announcement comes later in the week than was initially expected, with a publicly viewable website first saying details would be provided Tuesday.
Blackett noted that July 1 was a holiday in providing information about the new date.
The province and federal governments inked a memorandum of understanding last fall that pledged to pave the way for a bitumen pipeline to the West Coast.
It’s tied to progress on a major carbon capture network by the province’s biggest oil producers.
Last month, documents first reported by CBC News showed a number of options for a pipeline, with the majority ending in British Columbia.
Get daily National news
But any pipeline that would go through B.C. is likely to face opposition from Premier David Eby and would require the lifting of the federal ban on northern oil tankers. Such a change is opposed by both Eby and several First Nations communities.
A week after those documents were reported, B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix expressed frustration about communications involving the pipeline.
Prime Minister Mark Carney was expected to arrive in Alberta on Wednesday evening, but severe weather in Ottawa cancelled his trip. He is currently expected to visit B.C. on Thursday.
Carney told reporters Tuesday that he and Smith have been in “close contact” and that the province’s efforts to submit a proposal around Canada Day are “tracking well.”
But the fate of the proposal rests largely with the CEOs of the five biggest oilsands companies, whose production would be needed to fill the new pipeline and who are partners in the Pathways project, said Dennis McConaghy, a retired pipeline executive and author.
Those companies would be hard-pressed to sign on as shippers on a new oilsands pipeline so long as they’re subject to higher climate costs in the form of the industrial carbon price and required to spend tens of billions of dollars on Pathways, he said.
The pipeline application comes as Albertans prepare to vote on 10 referendum questions in October, including one on whether to remain in Canada or hold another referendum on separation at a later date.
The Alberta government is aiming for the pipeline to be designated a project of national interest by October and get shovels in the ground as early as September 2027.
Startup would be in the mid-2030s.
— with files from Global News’ Amy Judd and The Canadian Press.
Last idiot poster says Canadians who use our courts are “terrorists.”
He must think asll Canadians are then.
Moron.
Activists refers to the eco terrorists, those who protest at pipeline sites, and those who push delays through the courts.
And their “Activists” LOL you mean Canadian voters? Because the last time I checked Canadians voted for a Liberal prime minister not a CONservative one
If Alberta was not landlocked this country would have the economic might of Germany. Instead we are subject to the whims of Liberals and their activists. I trust Carney now as much as I trusted him back when he published his autobiography that had an entire chapter championing carbon taxes.
There will.be no.pipeline
Both Smith amd Carney know damn well that activist judges, environmentalists and FN activists will see it never happens and not a thing has been done to change the laws and processes they exploit in order to do so
When all is said and done, more will be said than done! What does BC say about this?
Haaahaaa, Daniel Smith working hard for the oil & gas Billionaires. What people don’t realize is that these oil & gas companies are integrating AI into oil production in Alberta which is actually taking jobs away from Canadians. The greed and corruption never ends when it comes to the UCP
Daniel Smith working hard for the oil & gas Billionaires. What people don’t realize is that these oil & gas companies are integrating AI into oil production in Alberta which is actually taking jobs away from Canadians. The greed and corruption never ends when it comes to the UCP
Also if anyone wants their dlck sucked behind the Best Western on Davie Street let me know
Let’s hope practicality and common sense prevails.
We need some kind of industry in Canada to generate revenue that can help support our society.
Lift the carbon and waterway restrictions and ignore the FNs self centred demands.
You can’t eat virtue signalling or pay bills with it.
Can’t go north.Cant go south.Cant go east. Can’t go west. What’s left you mental midget?!