ALBERTA — The provincial government has unveiled the route and construction partners for a major new oil pipeline stretching to the British Columbia coast, marking a breakthrough in Canada’s energy infrastructure development.
The announcement was made during a joint press conference in Calgary by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. The project, estimated to cost between $35.2 billion and $43.7 billion, is expected to generate billions of dollars in revenue for both federal and provincial governments over the coming decades, while offering significant economic partnerships to Indigenous communities.
The proposed pipeline will run from Bruderheim, northeast of Edmonton, to a shipping terminal in Delta, British Columbia, just south of Vancouver. Following the existing Trans Mountain pipeline corridor, the expansion will deliver more than one million barrels of oil per day to tankers destined for growing Asian markets. The Alberta government has already spent $18.3 million on preliminary planning, with the goal of securing formal designations by October 1.
To execute the massive build, Alberta is partnering with the federally owned Trans Mountain Corporation and Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline. While the exact ownership structure is still being finalized, initial agreements position Ottawa and the Alberta government as majority stakeholders. Pembina Pipeline confirmed a starting 10% interest, which could double once the pipeline becomes operational. The route is slated to traverse the traditional territories of up to 125 Indigenous communities, and Prime Minister Carney announced that formal consultations would begin immediately.
The development follows a comprehensive inter-provincial agreement between Ottawa and B.C. Premier David Eby, who had previously been a vocal opponent of the pipeline. To address British Columbia’s concerns, the federal government committed to maintaining a tanker ban on B.C.’s northern coast, assuming financial liability for potential environmental spills, and providing annual royalty payments to the province. Additionally, Ottawa pledged $10 billion in infrastructure upgrades for the Roberts Bank Terminal in Delta, which officials say could boost national trade capacity by $100 billion.
