Canada and Alberta Advance New West Coast Pipeline Project to Boost Oil Exports

Canada and Alberta are moving ahead with a new proposal for a west coast oil pipeline, a major energy and economic project aimed at expanding Canada’s access to global markets and reducing its heavy dependence on the United States as the main buyer of Canadian crude.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the federal government will refer Alberta’s west coast pipeline proposal to the Major Projects Office for review as a potential project of national interest. The proposed pipeline would transport about one million barrels of oil per day toward global markets and would largely follow the existing Trans Mountain corridor while respecting the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act.

Reuters reported that the project is designed to boost Canadian oil exports to Asia and diversify Canada’s energy trade beyond the U.S. market. The plan was unveiled by Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, and is expected to involve the federally owned Trans Mountain Corporation and Pembina Pipeline Corporation.

The Prime Minister’s Office said the proposal will include meaningful Indigenous ownership and immediate consultation with Indigenous communities. Ottawa and Alberta also linked the pipeline plan to the Pathways carbon capture initiative, presenting both projects as part of a broader strategy to support economic growth while reducing emissions from the energy sector.

Alberta’s government describes the West Coast Oil Pipeline as a project that could strengthen Canada’s energy independence and support access to fast-growing Asian markets. The province says potential construction could begin as early as September 1, 2027, but only after meeting Indigenous consultation obligations and completing the required designation and approval stages.

Trans Mountain Corporation confirmed that Alberta has filed a submission with the Major Projects Office requesting that the proposed pipeline, connecting Bruderheim, Alberta, to the west coast of British Columbia, be listed as a Project of National Interest.

The project is likely to face close scrutiny from environmental groups, Indigenous communities, and political leaders in British Columbia, where pipeline and tanker issues have long been controversial. Reuters reported separately that Carney said an agreement with British Columbia would maintain the northwest coast oil tanker ban, even as the federal government and Alberta pursue a southern route for expanded export capacity.

For Ottawa and Edmonton, the pipeline is being framed as a nation-building project that could strengthen Canada’s economy at a time of global trade uncertainty. But its path forward will depend on regulatory review, Indigenous partnerships, environmental safeguards, and whether political support can hold across Alberta, British Columbia and the federal government.