New Pacific Link oil pipeline to B.C.'s coast officially declared a national priority | Daily Hive

Potential route options for the new Alberta-B.C. West Coast oil pipeline to reach the new Roberts Bank marine terminal, largely following the Trans Mountain corridor. (Government of Alberta)

The proposed new additional oil pipeline from near Edmonton to Metro Vancouver that would carry an additional one million barrels of crude a day to overseas markets is moving onto a faster federal government review track, with Prime Minister Mark Carney now aiming to finalize its conditions for construction by September 2027.

Carney announced today that the West Coast oil pipeline project, now formally called “Pacific Link,” has been designated a Project of National Interest under the federal Building Canada Act.

The pipeline would move Alberta oil to the West Coast for shipment to customers in Asia and other international markets, giving Canadian producers another outlet beyond the United States.

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The planned pipeline would take a southern route through British Columbia — avoiding the province’s North Coast and other sensitive coastal areas where a tanker ban remains in place.

Detailed route planning and environmental studies remain ahead. However, significant preliminary planning has already been conducted by Alberta’s provincial government, which has identified the southern route reaching Metro Vancouver as the preferred route. It would largely follow the same right-of-way/corridor already established by the Trans Mountain Pipeline, with the pipeline then traversing some of the southernmost areas of Metro Vancouver to reach a major new storage and marine export terminal in Tsawwassen, which would involve building a new additional causeway peninsula in the Strait of Georgia.

The federal government notes that it is also working with B.C.’s provincial government on building Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Roberts Bank 2 container terminal in Tsawwassen and on the future marine terminal to export oil from Pacific Link.

“Canada has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to become a global energy superpower,” said Carney.

“To create hundreds of thousands of good jobs. To transform our economy. To diversify our trade. To become less reliant on a single trade partner. To achieve greater strategic autonomy, so we can continue to live our lives as we choose. Pacific Link is critical to this mission.”

Roberts Bank Delivery Tank Terminal oil delta tsawwassen

Potential route options for the new Alberta-B.C. West Coast oil pipeline to reach the new Roberts Bank marine terminal, largely following the Trans Mountain corridor. (Government of Alberta)

The prime minister is positioning the pipeline as part of its effort to double Canadian exports to countries other than the U.S.

The new designation establishes a single federal review process, with the Major Projects Office and Canada Energy Regulator tasked with developing the requirements the project must meet. Those conditions would cover matters such as environmental protection, Indigenous considerations, ownership, economic benefits, local hiring, and oversight. Carney’s September 2027 target is for completion of that work and clearing the way for major construction activities.

Meanwhile, the companies involved, the Alberta provincial government, and the federal government will also work on the project’s detailed design, cost estimates, route mapping, environmental surveys, equipment and material purchases, and workforce needs.

Trans Mountain Corporation would be responsible for developing, building, and operating Pacific Link on behalf of its backers. Pembina Pipeline Corporation is also involved, with the federal government identifying it as a private investor contributing expertise to the project’s development.

The federal government notes that it will have an equal ownership interest with Alberta’s provincial government, while First Nations will be offered an ownership stake of at least 10 per cent — supported by federal and Alberta provincial loan guarantee programs. Alberta’s provincial government is participating in the project through the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Corporation.

The federal government asserts that over 130 Indigenous communities near potential routes in Alberta and B.C. were consulted over the past three months while officials considered the national interest designation. The B.C. government was also consulted.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith welcomed the decision, arguing that the pipeline would help Canadian energy reach more buyers and generate money for public services.

“This listing sends a clear message: Canada is ready to build again. We are ready to harness our strengths, seize new opportunities, and deliver the nation-building infrastructure our prosperity depends on,” said Smith.

Construction process for the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion. (Trans Mountain)

Carney’s announcement today to prioritize and expedite Pacific Link also comes just weeks ahead of Alberta’s first separatism referendum. For many years, Alberta had been butting heads with previous federal administrations, particularly Justin Trudeau’s government, on pipeline proposals, with previous federal policies and strategies being a major contributing factor for growing some of the province’s independence sentiments.

“For too long, people across Canada have watched investment leave, projects stall, and opportunities slip away. Today, we are turning the page. Pacific Link represents a bold vision for Canada, one built on growth, confidence, and the understanding that Alberta energy should reach customers around the world,” continued Smith.

Her government estimates the project could support up to 140,000 jobs at the peak of construction, with the employment spread across Alberta and B.C. Operations, oil production, maintenance, and trade could support another 50,000 jobs annually.

The federal government estimates that Pacific Link would contribute more than $20 billion per year to Canada’s gross domestic product, and generate $100 billion in government revenue by 2060.

Smith’s administration has also released a longer-term royalty projection. They estimate that the additional oil production needed to supply the pipeline would generate more than $265 billion in extra provincial royalties over an expected operating life of more than 50 years.

In July 2026, under the new Canada-British Columbia Cooperative Prosperity Agreement, B.C. Premier David Eby announced his BC NDP-led provincial government had agreed to work with the Alberta and federal governments on the project’s routing and permitting. In exchange for the pipeline’s route through the province and the construction of a new marine export terminal, B.C.’s provincial government will gain a meaningful share of ongoing revenues from both the construction and operations of the new pipeline and terminal. As of the time of writing, the BC NDP have yet to issue a statement reacting to Carney’s recent decision.

Conservative Party of British Columbia leader Lorne Doerkson welcomed the federal government’s decision, asserting the provincial government should help other parts of Canada reach overseas buyers and benefit from the investment, jobs, and public revenue that major energy projects could bring.

“At a time of economic crisis, saying no to nation-building projects is not just bad policy, it’s, of course, un-Canadian,” said Doerkson during a press conference.

If elected premier, Doerkson said he would call for a working group with Alberta, the federal government, and First Nations to address environmental concerns and other issues surrounding the project.

“Protecting our coast and building our economy are not opposites. We can and we absolutely must do both,” he said.

Asked how he would respond to residents worried about construction near their homes or waterways, Doerkson acknowledged that parts of the route remain unclear and promised transparent discussions with residents and First Nations.

He also said some people he had spoken with saw the project as “a short-term inconvenience for long-term gain for the province.”

When asked whether the Conservatives, if they formed the next provincial government after the October 2026 provincial general election, would seek repeal of the northern oil tanker ban, Doerkson expressed concern about the restriction, but did not explicitly commit to removing it.

“I’m also very concerned about the notion that we simply just open everything up. I want to be very careful, very environmentally aware of what’s going on out there,” said the Conservative leader.

Beyond the oil pipeline, Doerkson promoted the Conservatives’ BC Energy Superpower Plan, which would aim to double B.C.’s natural gas production by 2032 and triple it by 2035.

He said a Conservative government would shorten permitting and approval timelines, seek international investment, and direct provincial ministries and agencies to work toward the production targets. He argued that greater energy revenues would help pay for hospitals, schools, and infrastructure while keeping taxes low.

The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT) also welcomed today’s announcement, saying broader access to overseas customers would make Canada less vulnerable to disruptions involving its existing trading partners.

Bridgitte Anderson, the president and CEO of GVBOT, said Pacific Link could help spur a wider wave of investment alongside LNG Canada’s second phase, mining and critical mineral projects, potash expansions, and transportation infrastructure, such as Roberts Bank Terminal 2.

Earlier this week, the private sector owners of LNG Canada made a business decision to proceed with the $33-billion second phase of their LNG production and export facility in Kitimat, B.C.

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