Carney Fast-Tracks Pacific Link Pipeline Amid Energy Superpower Ambitions

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has designated the Pacific Link oil pipeline as a project of national interest, accelerating its regulatory review. The $44-billion pipeline will carry up to one million barrels of crude per day from Alberta to the B.C. coast for export.

The designation puts the pipeline on an accelerated 12-month review and stakeholder consultation process led by the Major Projects Office and backed by the Canada Energy Regulator. The deadline for finalizing regulatory conditions is September 1, 2027.

The project aims to diversify the Canadian economy and create 140,000 jobs across the country, with $20-billion in gross domestic product per year and $100-billion in government revenue by 2060, according to Carney's statement. The pipeline joins a roster of fast-tracked natural gas, mining, and transmission projects under the Building Canada Act.