Alberta formally proposes West Coast Oil Pipeline
10 July 2026
Alberta government has submitted its application for the West Coast Oil Pipeline to the federal Major Projects Office for listing as a project of national interest. The project proposes an inter-provincial pipeline that would transport one million barrels per day (b/d) of heavy crude oil from Alberta to the west coast of British Columbia (BC) to diversify and increase exports to new markets, including Asian markets.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced the submission in a joint press conference with Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney. The development follows a November 2025 MOU between Canada and the Province of Alberta.
To facilitate the project, Alberta government will enter into a partnership with the federally-owned Trans Mountain Corporation and with Pembina Pipeline Corporation. The estimated cost of the project, according to the Alberta government’s submission, would be $35.2 billion to $43.7 billion. The approximately 1,200-1,250 km pipeline project is expected to be completed between 2032 and 2034.
Despite long suggesting a possible northern route for the new pipeline, the two main routing options proposed will run between Bruderheim, AB, to Roberts Bank Terminal in Delta, BC, using a similar corridor to the existing Trans Mountain pipeline. One route is referred to as the “original corridor” in the submission, while the other is called the “optimized corridor.”
The Alberta government said it chose to propose a southern path near the Trans Mountain pipeline to limit “new land disturbance and impacts on the environment, wildlife and nearby communities.”
The announcement came the same day Ottawa signed an MOU with British Columbia, which included a commitment from the federal government to keep the North Coast oil tanker ban in place. The moratorium has prohibited oil tanker traffic off the waters of northern British Columbia for years in order to protect environmentally sensitive coastlines.
Trans Mountain Corporation has been operating the only pipeline providing transportation for crude oil and refined petroleum products from Alberta to the West Coast. The Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP), completed in 2024, essentially twinned the Trans Mountain pipeline, expanding its capacity from approximately 300,000 b/d to the current 890,000 b/d.
In a separate development, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith unveiled the proposed route for the Northern Shield Energy Corridor—a.k.a. the west-east pipeline—a proposed 3,300 km, 500,000 b/d crude oil pipeline that would bring oil from Hardisty, AB, to Sarnia, ON, without crossing the US border. The feasibility study for the project is currently underway.
Source: Alberta Government | CBC News