Mark Carney has reached an agreement with Alberta on an energy plan built around a proposed heavy oil pipeline from the province’s oil sands to the Pacific coast, a politically charged project expected to face fierce resistance. Within hours, the deal triggered significant fallout as Steven Guilbeault, the minister of Canadian culture and a former environment minister, resigned from cabinet, citing his strong opposition to the plan. Guilbeault, a long-standing environmental advocate, argued that the proposal contradicted both climate commitments and proper consultation processes.
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Before Guilbeault’s departure, the prime minister had called the agreement “a great day for Alberta and a great day for Canada”, praising its potential to support industrial transformation through not only a pipeline but also nuclear power and new datacentres. Alberta premier Danielle Smith welcomed the deal as a chance to “unleash” investment after years of tense relations between the province and federal government over emissions policy. Under the agreement, Carney’s government would exempt a possible pipeline from the coastal tanker moratorium and emissions cap, while Alberta would raise industrial carbon pricing and invest in a major carbon capture initiative.
Despite the political fanfare, no company has yet expressed interest in financing the project, which would almost certainly face strong objections from British Columbia and First Nations communities along the coast. Critics, including Guilbeault, highlighted environmental risks, concerns about crossing the Great Bear Rainforest, and the absence of consultation with Indigenous nations. British Columbia’s premier, David Eby, has reiterated his opposition to a new pipeline, though his government has offered to expand capacity on the existing Trans Mountain route instead.
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First Nations leaders have also reaffirmed their objections. Marilyn Slett, president of the Coastal First Nations, warned that the group would not permit oil tankers along their coast and insisted that no agreement could override Indigenous Rights and Title. She cited past environmental disasters, including a major diesel spill near her community in 2016, as evidence of the risks posed by increased tanker traffic. As negotiations continue, concerns about environmental protection, constitutional rights and political accountability remain central to the national debate.
