Pipelines, image via Angus Reid Institute webisitel
OTTAWA — The federal government has taken the next step toward fast tracking a proposed oil pipeline from Alberta to the British Columbia coast by launching a public consultation on whether the project should be designated one of national interest.
A notice published in the Canada Gazette begins a public comment period ending Sept. 18, after which Ottawa will decide whether to add the project to the list of national interest projects under the Building Canada Act.
The legislation allows qualifying projects to move through an accelerated federal approval process, although a designation does not constitute final approval to proceed with construction.
The proposed pipeline is a key component of an energy agreement announced last month between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
If approved, the roughly 1,250-kilometre pipeline would transport up to one million barrels of crude oil per day from Bruderheim, Alta., northeast of Edmonton, to a marine terminal near Delta, B.C., where it would be loaded onto tankers bound for international markets.
The Alberta government has identified the project as a priority to expand Canada’s access to overseas energy markets and reduce reliance on a single export customer.
The proposed ownership structure includes Trans Mountain, the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission and Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corp. Pembina would hold an initial 10 per cent ownership stake during construction, with an option to increase its interest once the pipeline enters service.
The federal notice says Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc will work with the Alberta and British Columbia governments while consultations with Indigenous communities continue.
The Alberta government submitted the proposal in early July and has said construction could begin as early as September 2027, subject to regulatory approvals. Alberta estimates the project would cost between $35.2 billion and $43.7 billion.
Environmental organizations have criticized the proposal, arguing the accelerated approval process could reduce environmental oversight. However, the federal government says projects designated as being in the national interest must still meet conditions established through the approval process before construction can begin.
The government has said it expects to decide by Oct. 1 whether to formally designate the proposed pipeline as a national interest project.
Comments