REGINA — Premier Scott Moe is giving his support to the efforts by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith towards a pipeline to the British Columbia coast.
Premier Moe voiced his support in a post on the X platform on Wednesday.
“Saskatchewan stands with Alberta as they take steps to build a new west coast oil pipeline. This project strengthens Canada’s economy, opens new markets and creates opportunities to advance Canada’s national interests.”
On Wednesday, Smith announced that the Alberta government will develop and submit a formal application for a project of national significance to the Federal Major Projects Office. The province says it will act as proponent but will lead a technical advisory group in making that application, and the government is also contributing $14 million towards the early planning.
According to the news release from Alberta, the advisory group will “undertake the early planning, technical assessment and application for an oil pipeline proposal to the northwest coast of British Columbia. When completed, the project will significantly increase market access to responsibly and ethically produced Canadian crude oil products.”
South Bow, Enbridge and Trans Mountain will be involved in the advisory group and the application will be submitted by spring of 2026.
As well, Indigenous communities will be involved. “Indigenous co-ownership, partnership and perspectives will be critical to every stage of project development and execution,” the government said in a statement.
“This project application is about more than a pipeline; it’s about unlocking Canada’s full economic potential,” said Smith in a statement.
“By doing this the right way from Day 1 with Indigenous partners and industry expertise, we will deliver a proposal that proves this project is undeniably in the national interest. Together, we are charting a path to secure Canada’s energy future for generations while bringing the world’s most ethically and responsibly produced energy to market.”
This application comes after the release in September by Prime Minister Mark Carney of the initial major projects list being submitted to the federal projects office. None of those initial projects involved a pipeline, which was a point of contention for some provincial governments including Saskatchewan.
“I think most Canadians were expecting a more ambitious list of projects given the Prime Minister’s promise to build 'at a speed not seen in generations,’” said Finance Minister Jim Reiter in a statement shortly after the announcement.
"The lack of any approved pipeline projects also highlights the uncertainty caused by the current regulatory system and the reluctance of companies to move forward given that uncertainty.”
Moe has long been supportive of pipeline efforts. Earlier this year. Moe said Saskatchewan would consider permits for pipeline projects “pre-approved” in the province.
As well, Moe has spoken in favour of building port to port corridors across the country and has signed a joint MOU with Ontario and Alberta on safe transportation and export of oil, natural gas and critical minerals, and with Manitoba on strengthening trade to the Port of Churchill.
While this latest announcement from Alberta has been met by a positive response from Saskatchewan’s government, it has been greeted with a cool reception from the government of British Columbia.
In speaking to reporters Wednesday, BC Premier David Eby dismissed the Alberta announcement as “not a real project” and as “incredibly alarming to British Columbians including First Nations along the coast, whose support is required for the success of the billions of dollars in real projects I am talking about.”
“We need a major projects office at the federal level, not a major distractions office or a major politics office, but an office that advances real shovel-ready projects that will move this economy forward in British Columbia and nationally, and what I am seeing from Alberta directly threatens that.”
Eby said he wanted to see major infrastructure projects and ones with real private sector backing that weren’t “entirely taxpayer-funded wedge politics… It cannot be at the expense of major projects in British Columbia that are ready to go.”
