Overview
- After meeting Prime Minister Mark Carney, Premier Danielle Smith said Alberta will file for a West Coast bitumen line by June and asked for federal approval this fall.
- Smith called for six-month decisions on nation-building projects, while the Major Projects Office still targets roughly two years and Ottawa has not committed to new timelines.
- Former energy minister Sonya Savage warned a private build is unlikely without a government backstop, citing past federal support for major pipeline projects.
- A route and private proponent have not been named, and Alberta is acting as the initial proponent under a November MOU that stresses private construction and financing.
- Smith tied the urgency to Venezuela’s resurgence, noting the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro and President Trump’s push for at least US$100 billion in oil investment there, which could intensify competition for U.S. refinery capacity.