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Ottawa and Alberta Poised to Sign Energy MOU Outlining Conditions for a Possible West Coast Pipeline

Carney says any proposal would require agreement from British Columbia and affected First Nations.

Overview

  • Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon said Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will sign the memorandum in Calgary on Thursday after the prime minister briefed cabinet.
  • Reporting indicates the framework links limited federal carve‑outs, including potential exemptions to the northern B.C. tanker moratorium and other environmental rules, to tougher industrial carbon pricing and a Pathways Alliance carbon‑capture commitment.
  • B.C. Premier David Eby says the province was excluded from talks, calls that unacceptable, and warns against rolling back the tanker ban, arguing there is no route, proponent or market case.
  • Coastal First Nations publicly rejected the concept, vowing a north‑coast oil pipeline "will never happen" and asserting their rights and title after what they describe as federal silence.
  • There is no private‑sector proponent; Alberta plans a submission to Ottawa’s Major Projects Office in the spring, and experts caution that easing the tanker ban alone will not overcome cost, permitting and support challenges.