Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed an agreement on Nov. 27 that paves the way for a new West Coast pipeline if a private proponent comes forward, while also changing key energy policies introduced by the previous Trudeau government.
As part of the agreement, Alberta has also made certain commitments to reduce emissions.
A Pipeline With a Caveat
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Ottawa and Alberta allows for one or more privately financed pipelines, including a proposed route capable of carrying roughly one million barrels a day of bitumen to Asia.
According to the document, the application for the pipeline will be ready to submit to the newly created Major Projects Office (MPO) on or before July 1, 2026. The office is meant to speed up regulatory approvals for projects deemed to be national importance by the federal government….