Alberta is actively evaluating potential pathways for a proposed new pipeline to carry bitumen to the Pacific Coast, with Premier Danielle Smith confirming three distinct route options are under serious consideration. This move is a key part of the province's strategy to expand its oil export capacity to international markets.
Three Ports in Contention for Pipeline Terminal
In a recent year-end interview, Premier Smith outlined the geographic possibilities. The northern community of Kitimat, once the planned terminus for the defunct Northern Gateway project, is now deemed "not an optimal route." Instead, the focus has shifted to other locations.
Smith stated that Roberts Bank in Delta, south of Vancouver, is a potential site being examined. Additionally, a couple of different options within the Port of Prince Rupert area on the northern coast are also on the table. A provincial technical advisory group is currently analyzing the specifications for each potential route.
Federal Agreement and B.C. Opposition Shape the Path
This pipeline initiative follows a significant memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the Alberta government and Prime Minister Mark Carney's federal government on November 27, 2025. The agreement links pipeline development to the advancement of carbon capture and storage networks in the oilsands.
As part of this MOU, Alberta intends to submit a formal pipeline proposal to the federal Major Projects Office for consideration by July 2025. The envisioned pipeline is a greenfield project proposed to run from Alberta to the Port of Prince Rupert, with a capacity of up to one million barrels per day, supporting Smith's goal of eventually doubling provincial oil production.
However, the plan faces political hurdles in British Columbia. Premier David Eby, alongside some coastal First Nations, has voiced opposition to a pipeline terminating on the northern B.C. coast, where a federal oil tanker ban is in place. Eby has called removing the ban a "grave mistake."
He has expressed support for optimizing the existing Trans Mountain pipeline to Burnaby instead. Yet, Eby indicated a willingness to discuss a new pipeline that does not violate the northern tanker moratorium, theoretically opening the door for talks about a southern route.
Navigating the Tanker Ban and Next Steps
Premier Smith acknowledged that the advisory committee "has to" look at Roberts Bank as a potential southern option, which would not be covered by the northern tanker ban. She continues to promote the benefits and safety of a pipeline extending to the Port of Prince Rupert.
The coming months will be critical as the technical analysis concludes and the provincial government prepares its formal submission to Ottawa. The outcome will significantly impact Alberta's energy future and its relationship with both the federal government and the province of British Columbia.
