Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she feels "gratified" after rolling out Alberta's pipeline pitch, which culminated in the July 2, 2026, announcement of the West Coast Pipeline Project alongside Prime Minister Mark Carney in Calgary. "I feel gratified. I'll feel even more gratified once we start getting shovels in the ground and people can see this thing is going to get built," Smith told reporters.
Pipeline Project Details
Alberta's proposal involves constructing a pipeline to British Columbia's west coast, just south of Vancouver. The project will see stakes held by the Alberta government, the federal government, Pembina Pipeline, and Indigenous groups. Smith emphasized the pipeline will create numerous jobs and generate significant revenue for the Alberta government.
Credit to Canadians for Shift in Opinion
When asked what changed from previous failures with Liberal Ottawa, Smith credited Canadians. "We took our case to the people," she said. "What you saw is Canadians rooting for us. We made the case we were being treated unfairly and 75 per cent of Canadians agree with us." Smith noted that a strong majority of Canadians now back pipelines and getting Alberta oil to market. "That's what I think caused the change. What our fellow Canadians are saying is: Whatever it is the previous 10 years has done to Alberta it's got to stop."
Eye-Opening Moment in Quebec
Smith recounted a pivotal moment in Quebec, where she told audiences: "Imagine if an Alberta politician came to Quebec to say: It's my mission to shut down your hydro electricity and make sure you don't develop any more aluminum." She said the Quebec audience then realized what Alberta and its oilpatch had endured for years under federal Liberals led by Justin Trudeau and Steven Guilbeault. "They are gone," Smith added.
Shift in Public Opinion
Smith pointed to a shift in the court of public opinion, with Canadians fed up with Alberta being treated unfairly. "I don't think Canadians want that. I think Canadians have a sense of fair play. Canadians support each other, especially now," she said. "Canadians moved a lot faster than the politicians and the politicians had to run to catch up." Smith said Alberta kept pushing until its position was so obvious "even Liberals have to change their minds."
Liberal 'Near-Death Experience'
The premier noted that Liberals faced a "near-death experience" with the possibility of electoral decimation, causing them "to realize they were going in the wrong direction and they knew they had to change course." She said Alberta hasn't changed, but "it took a lot of years to get here," citing the affordability crisis, trade tensions with the U.S., the Russia-Ukraine war, conflicts over oil through the Strait of Hormuz, and global energy demand as factors that shifted reality in the past year and a half.
