Smith pushes Carney: approve a pipeline ASAP or Canada risks falling behind

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith put the heat on Prime Minister Mark Carney Friday, demanding firm deadlines for the approval of a new West Coast oil pipeline.

Source: X.com

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith put the heat on Prime Minister Mark Carney Friday, demanding firm deadlines for the approval of a new West Coast oil pipeline and the expansion of the existing Trans Mountain line.

Smith said that recent developments in Venezuela were a central focus of the discussion and underscored the need for Ottawa to move quickly on major energy infrastructure projects or risk losing out on a rapidly changing energy market.

In a post to X following the meeting, Smith said Alberta intends to act swiftly on its end and expects the federal government to do the same.

“As outlined in my letter to the Prime Minister yesterday, Alberta’s intention is to submit our application for an oil pipeline to the northwest BC coast to the major projects office by June at the latest, and I have asked for it to be approved no later than this Fall,” Smith wrote.

In her letter dated Thursday, Smith warned that renewed Venezuelan crude production, now supported by United States investment, poses a direct threat to Canadian heavy oil producers competing for limited U.S. refinery capacity.

“Renewed Venezuelan crude production, supported by United States investment, will ultimately increase the amount of heavy oil bound for U.S. refineries and directly compete with Canadian production for limited refining capacity,” Smith wrote.

Following Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s capture by U.S. authorities, the price of Canadian crude oil saw the largest price drop in years.

Smith argued that delays in approving new export infrastructure risk long-term economic harm for Canada.

“Any delay risks ceding market share, losing investment, and undermining Canada’s competitive position in a rapidly changing global energy landscape,” she wrote.

The premier said Alberta’s heavy oil reserves—estimated at 167 billion barrels of recoverable oil—represent a national asset that cannot be left stranded.

“As Alberta doubles oil production in the coming years, infrastructure must be ready to deliver that energy to new markets while also strengthening our energy partnership with the United States. Without expedited access to tidewater, this additional production and wealth for the Canadian people is at significant risk,” she said.

Smith also called for sweeping changes to federal regulatory timelines, arguing current approval processes are too slow to compete globally. She said approvals need to be completed within six months of application. Alberta intends to submit its West Coast pipeline application to the Major Projects Office on or before June, and Smith has requested approval by the fall of 2026.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre similarly warned Carney that Venezuelan crude oil flooding the market heightens the need for a West Coast pipeline.

Smith’s letter to and meeting with Carney came days after Alberta launched a public webpage to serve as a central hub for information on the proposed pipeline, including economic benefits and engagement with Indigenous communities.

When the province announced the pipeline on October 1, 2025, it clarified that it would only act as a proponent until the formal application is approved, after which private investors are expected to take over.

Canada holds the world’s fourth-largest proven oil reserves and is the fourth-largest global oil producer. Net export receipts from crude oil have increased from $6 billion in 2000 to $130 billion in 2024.

“The federal government needs to act with urgency to seize this opportunity, safeguard long-term economic security, and secure our energy future,” said Smith. “Alberta stands ready to partner with the federal government to do just that.”