Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks during a press conference at Canada’s Premiers Conference in Toronto, Ontario, December 16, 2024. (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP)
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she expects a new energy deal between her province and the federal government to be forthcoming in the near future.
Alberta and the federal government have been working on an energy agreement amidst the province’s concerns about federal energy policies affecting the oil and gas sector. Media reports citing government sources this week said that the agreement could involve a proposal for a new Alberta-B.C. oil pipeline, and could also include possible exemptions to the oil tanker ban on areas of B.C.’s north coast.
Smith said in comments to the press Nov. 21 in Calgary that if her province does reach a deal with Ottawa, she expects it to be “in a matter of weeks.”
B.C. Premier David Eby said he was caught off guard by the news of talks between Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ottawa on a reported possible oil pipeline to the B.C. coast. Eby said “secret” talks between Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ottawa are putting economic ventures on the B.C. coast at risk.
Responding to Eby’s criticism, Smith said working together as “Team Canada” means helping provinces like Alberta without ocean access to reach global markets.
“This is what Team Canada looks like: that when you’ve got provinces that don’t have access to a shoreline, we cooperate to make sure that we can get our products to market,” Smith said.
“A lot of people wrap themselves in the flag, talking about how much they support Canada and want to work together. And then, when it comes right down to it, not everybody lives up to that commitment.”
In an update Nov. 21, Eby said that while B.C. does not support the pipeline and is “not enthusiastic about it, we’re good team players on Team Canada and we’re willing to do what we can to support an expansion project if it’s needed.” However, he said he remains opposed to lifting the oil tanker ban.
“We are and have been engaging with Alberta on their concerns about being able to access global markets,” Eby said. “But I’m a bit challenged by the approach they’re taking to our province right now.”
For her part, Smith said that the decision about matters of energy rests with Ottawa and provinces shouldn’t get in the way.
“We all saw that there was also a lot of sabre-rattling in previous iterations of the British Columbia government. And in the end, the decision is the federal government’s to make based on their assessment of what’s in the national interest,” Smith said, adding “the ball is in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s court.”
In a landmark 2020 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada held that Ottawa has legal authority over oil shipments between provinces. However, speaking this past June, Carney said Ottawa wouldn’t “impose” any projects on provinces and noted that projects will also need “the participation of indigenous peoples.”
An Angus Reid poll from last month said 56 percent of B.C. respondents supported a potential pipeline and 34 percent opposed.