Alberta pushes Ottawa to finalize Pacific pipeline deal

Danielle Smith is urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to move quickly on a proposed oil pipeline agreement linking Alberta to Canada’s Pacific Coast, saying both industry leaders and Albertans are growing frustrated with delays.

Speaking from her office Friday morning, Smith said discussions with Ottawa over the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on energy co-operation have been productive, but stressed that time is running short to finalize the deal.

“We’ve had some really constructive conversations,” Smith said. “But if we’re going to move forward with that MOU, I hope it happens in the next number of days.”

The agreement, first signed last year between the Alberta government and the federal government, outlines conditions for a future pipeline project aimed at expanding energy export capacity to the Pacific Coast.

Smith acknowledged that some details still need to be resolved before the agreement can move ahead, but emphasized the growing impatience among stakeholders.

“We still have a few things to work out, and I hope that we can get to the finish line,” she said. “I know industry is getting a bit impatient. Albertans are getting a little bit impatient.”

The proposed pipeline has become a major issue for Alberta’s energy sector, which has long pushed for additional export routes to international markets. Supporters argue the project could boost investment, create jobs, and strengthen Canada’s energy economy, while critics continue to raise environmental and climate concerns.

Ottawa has not yet indicated when a final decision on the agreement could be announced.