Canada Fast-Tracks Pipeline Project to British Columbia Amid Concerns of Increased Oil Spill Risk

Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson expressed disappointment at Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to fast-track a new oil pipeline project, known as the Pacific Link. The pipeline would transport one million barrels of crude oil per day from Alberta to a supertanker terminal in British Columbia, near the U.S.-Canada border.

The project has raised concerns among Washington state's political leaders about increased oil spill risk to the Salish Sea and sensitive ecosystems. Ferguson stated that resources needed to respond to a major spill are insufficient and urged the Canadian government to make commitments to safeguard shared marine waters.

Northern Washington tribes, including the Lummi, Samish, Swinomish, and Makah, have opposed previous pipeline expansions due to concerns about treaty rights and fisheries. The project's critics fear a spill could easily reach north Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Washington's outer coast.