B.C. environmental groups split on Alberta's new oil pipeline proposal

Alberta's proposal for a new southern oil pipeline to British Columbia's coast has drawn mixed reactions from environmental groups, with some viewing it as a compromise and others calling it a repeat of past mistakes.

On Thursday, July 2, the federal government agreed to fund billions in infrastructure in British Columbia and committed to keeping the tanker ban in place. Premier David Eby pledged not to oppose the pipeline in court. Later that day, Alberta announced its proposal for the southern pipeline with Trans Mountain and Pembina Pipeline corporations on board to help build it. The estimated cost is $35.2 to $43.7 billion.

The federal government also promised new environmental protections for the coast and pledged to create a liability fund if anything goes wrong with the pipeline itself.

"This agreement puts in black and white specific commitments around the environment and climate that we would not have otherwise had the opportunity to get," Eby said on Friday. He acknowledged environmental groups' concerns but noted the province has limited power to stop the pipeline from being built, as the fight over Trans Mountain Expansion showed.

Sierra Club BC's Flossie Baker called the North Coast tanker ban's preservation "a huge victory," but criticized the southern pipeline pivot as "a repeat of a dangerous and economically misguided decision: the infamously over-priced TMX pipeline."

First Nations that would have been affected by a northern route—including the Coastal First Nations alliance and the Gitxaala Nation—expressed relief. However, groups such as Climate Action Network Canada and West Coast Environmental Law opposed the trade-off. "Enough with the grand bargains – some things are too precious to sacrifice," said Anna Johnston, a staff lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law.

Alberta plans to fast-track the project, intending to begin construction as soon as September 1, 2027.