Premier Danielle Smith has committed $14 million to restart work on a proposed oil pipeline to northern BC, saying it is a “moral imperative” to deliver Alberta crude to Asia. The project, which would require reversing Ottawa’s tanker ban and securing First Nations support, has no confirmed route or private-sector proponent. Smith argues Indigenous ownership could be central to the plan, unlike the failed Northern Gateway pipeline a decade ago. BC Premier David Eby dismissed the proposal as “taxpayer-funded politics,” while Coastal First Nations reiterated strong opposition to oil tankers in their waters.
