Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced that the province is taking “the first steps toward building a new oil pipeline to the West Coast,” naming no private proponent. The province intends to do the work for a formal application to the federal Major Projects Office.
In her statement, Smith said Alberta will proceed “using the technical advice of major pipeline companies and with Indigenous participation,” with the objective to “submit a formal application for a project of national significance.”
Today, Alberta’s government announced that we will be taking the first steps toward building a new oil pipeline to the West Coast.
— Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) October 1, 2025
Using the technical advice of major pipeline companies and with Indigenous participation, the province will begin engagement with Alberta and BC… pic.twitter.com/kMQj6ZdDUV
The announcement did not sit well with British Columbia as the province signaled its immediate opposition.
“As British Columbians we love our coast and will always protect it. The North Coast Tanker Ban also secures billions in shovel-ready projects. We won’t let this proposal, with no backer and no money, threaten real jobs for BC’s families,” BC Premier David Eby wrote on X.
While Eby asserted there is “no money,” multiple outlets report Alberta is committing $14 million to early-stage work.
In an earlier speech, Eby emphasized the contention with the proposal: “And so when I’ve said, let’s cross that bridge when we come to it, you know, we’ll see what the premier comes up with. I’m being polite. I am being polite.”
He further said there is “no project… unless the Albertan government and the federal Canadian government are committing billions of taxpayer dollars,” calling for transparency if public money is contemplated.
As British Columbians we love our coast and will always protect it.
— David Eby (@Dave_Eby) October 1, 2025
The North Coast Tanker Ban also secures billions in shovel-ready projects.
We won’t let this proposal, with no backer and no money, threaten real jobs for BC’s families. pic.twitter.com/dbhqvJkUmJ
“The problem that we have is that Premier Smith continues to advance a project that is entirely taxpayer funded, has no private-sector proponent, is not a real project, and is incredibly alarming to British Columbians…” Eby also said.
However, BC Conservative leader John Rustad made public his support of Alberta’s move, writing that it is time “to put Canada first.” Policy analyst Heather Exner-Pirot called BC’s stance “un-Canadian” given its own LNG royalties, arguing “it’s Canada’s coast.”
Eby has made peace with LNG because B.C. needs the royalties and they produce natural gas.
— Heather Exner-Pirot (@ExnerPirot) October 1, 2025
It’s extremely un-Canadian to deny Alberta the same economic opportunity they are themselves exploiting. It’s not just BC’s coast; it’s Canada’s coast. https://t.co/JnjyvtZOFX
I appreciate Rustad being vocal on this.
— Heather Exner-Pirot (@ExnerPirot) October 1, 2025
But it’s really unfortunate that pipelines are being used as Canada’s main political wedge issue again. For heaven’s sake 80% of Canadians support building them! Please let’s normalize building infrastructure. It needn’t be controversial. https://t.co/AMKRprbZLa
Observers further criticized Eby characterizing Alberta’s coastal pipeline as a direct economic threat as it sends the wrong signal to investors and aggravates Canada’s already weak record at attracting private capital.
Kate Harrison on a pipeline to the BC coast "I think it again comes back to the investment environment that we create here."
— cbcwatcher (@cbcwatcher) October 1, 2025
"…They want the certainty of the investment environment before making such investments."
"And when we have arguments playing out like we do right now… pic.twitter.com/JndU53783L
Smith further framed the initiative as a national test: “This is a test of whether Canada works as a country… if we can’t build with collaboration… that’s not a country.”
First Nations were already opposing the coastal pipeline pitch while separate reporting highlighted Coastal First Nations reiterating “no support” for crude pipelines and tankers in their waters.
Premier Smith says approval of Alberta's pipeline to the BC coast is "a test of whether Canada works as a country." pic.twitter.com/BvOHQjri1s
— Western Standard (@WSOnlineNews) October 1, 2025
First Nations are already opposing Alberta’s coastal pipeline pitch… #ableg #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/zmgsxK20Of
— Sean Amato (@JSJamato) October 2, 2025
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