Overview
- Multiple outlets report Ottawa and Alberta are nearing an MOU that could enable a pipeline to B.C.’s northwest coast with a partial carve‑out to the north‑coast tanker ban.
- B.C. officials say they were excluded from talks and oppose lifting the ban, warning it could jeopardize multibillion‑dollar projects, while Coastal First Nations say an MOU would not override rights and title.
- Liberal MPs and senior ministers reiterate that B.C. government agreement and significant Indigenous support are prerequisites for any West Coast pipeline or change to the moratorium.
- B.C. is promoting an alternative by backing Trans Mountain optimization—potentially adding about 510,000 barrels per day—and approving Vancouver harbour dredging so Aframax tankers can load more oil as early as 2026.
- Alberta’s Danielle Smith insists Trans Mountain upgrades are insufficient, seeks policy concessions on industrial carbon pricing and the emissions cap, and plans to submit a new pipeline proposal in spring despite no named private proponent and only $14 million committed for early regulatory work.