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Alberta Considers Multiple Northern B.C. Routes for Proposed Oil Export Pipeline
Documents shown in private consultations outline three northern routes and six ports. Alberta aims to submit a one-million-barrel-per-day project to the federal Major Projects Office by July 1.
Jun 1, 4:00 AM·3m read1 source
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Documents obtained by CBC News show that the Alberta government has considered three different pipeline routes through northern British Columbia and six ports along the northern coast. The documents were shown to local community leaders during private consultations this spring.
And a port in the Vancouver area. One route begins near Fort McMurray, travels west to Fort St. John, and ends near Observatory Inlet, more than 800 km north of Vancouver and 130 km north of Prince Rupert.
Two other routes begin near Fort Saskatchewan, northeast of Edmonton. One extends slightly north after crossing the Rocky Mountains and ends at Nasoga Gulf. The second continues west and splits to connect with Kitimat and Prince Rupert.
One of the routes follows the same path as Enbridge’s failed Northern Gateway project. ’s coast. All port options shown in the documents lie within the area covered by the federal oil tanker moratorium.
U.S. or Asia. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is aiming to submit the project to the federal Major Projects Office by July 1 so it can be designated a nation-building project and fast-tracked.
The proposal calls for a pipeline that would export one million barrels of oil per day, with construction targeted to begin as early as 2027. Sam Blackett, Smith’s press secretary, said Alberta’s government is still finalizing its proposal for submission by that date.
Alberta’s Indigenous Relations minister Rajan Sawhney has led consultations that have included talks with more than 40 Indigenous communities.
In some meetings, officials provided information about possible pipeline ownership opportunities and financial support through the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation. Sawhney said no route has been determined and that the current phase is focused on technical requirements, costs, partnerships, and making the case for the project in the national interest.
