Eby calls Alberta’s pipeline plan “fictional” after Smith fires back

B.C. NDP Premier David Eby slammed Alberta’s proposed West Coast oil pipeline as “fictional” and “political” and alleged it was a direct threat to British Columbia’s economic well-being.

Source: Facebook

B.C. NDP Premier David Eby slammed Alberta’s proposed West Coast oil pipeline as “fictional” and “political” and alleged it was a direct threat to British Columbia’s economic and environmental well-being.

In a video statement posted to X, Eby accused Alberta Premier Danielle Smith of advancing “an entirely political creation in the lead up to their election for wedge politics at the expense of British Columbia and Canada’s economy.”

Eby said his province has billions of dollars in First Nations-led projects that are ready to proceed and create thousands of jobs.

“The fictional Alberta Bitumen pipeline project achieves literally none of these things, doesn’t have First Nations consent, makes no financial or economic sense. It has no private proponent, no route, no private funding, and would cost taxpayers billions,” said Eby.

Eby claimed the proposed line would “put tens of billions of dollars in real B.C. projects and jobs at risk” and said it would endanger “one of the world’s most precious and intact ecosystems — our beautiful B.C. coast and Great Bear Rainforest.”

Alberta announced last week that it would advance a First Nations–backed West Coast oil pipeline by contributing $14 million for early planning and forming a technical advisory group with Indigenous partners and three pipeline companies. The province said it would act as proponent only until private investors take over once the application is approved.

Despite Eby’s repeated claims, Alberta officials have clarified that taxpayers will not be on the hook for the project. The Alberta government expects private industry to take over once the project’s application is approved. Energy officials said that regulatory processes like Bill C-48—the West Coast tanker ban—are why the government is involved at this stage.

“This is a Canada project, and this is a test of whether Canada works as a country. Because if we can’t build with a collaboration of the federal government and between provinces, if everybody gets to get their products going to market except Alberta, that’s not a country,” said Smith. “A country is one where we support each other. And I think Canadians are there, and I hope that we can get more and more politicians to get there, too.”

As for Eby’s most recent comments, Smith’s press secretary pointed to a recent interview the premier had with Global News.

She said talk is cheap, while her colleagues have been calling for a Team Canada approach.

“So I would say for everybody who’s been talking about taking a Team Canada approach, this is what it looks like. What it looks like is having difficult projects that are going to be nation-building and revenue-generating identified so that we can work together on getting them constructed,” said Smith in the interview. “Yes, we’re at the early stages of this, but I would fully anticipate that this will ultimately be built by the private sector. That’s what I think success looks like.”

Eby said he will drive Canada’s economy to defend it against what he called an attack from U.S. President Donald Trump, while Smith suggested a pipeline was the way to do so.

“Why are we doing this? We’re doing this because we’ve realized we’ve all become too dependent on a single partner — the United States. We’re doing this because meeting after meeting after meeting for the last eight months, we’ve been talking about how we can work together to support each other, to remove internal trade barriers, to create new markets, to develop economic corridors,” said Smith.

Alberta and Saskatchewan are Canada’s only landlocked provinces. These Western provinces have key resources, such as potash, uranium, critical minerals, grains, and oil and gas.

“There’s a sort of a special obligation on the part of our neighbours to give us access so that we can get our product to market,” said Smith.

She said Confederation created the Trans-Canada Highway and rail lines, giving B.C. access to Eastern Canadian markets.

Smith added that international law says nations cannot block landlocked nations’ access to ports. She urged a similar conversation about Canada’s resources.

“British Columbia, I think, has a special obligation with all of the investment that Canada has made … to help support their neighbours,” she said.

Energy Minister Brian Jean said the line could move up to one million barrels per day toward ports in Prince Rupert or Kitimat, opening access to Asian markets.