Carney, Eby agree to keep oil tanker ban, as Alberta to unveil proposed pipeline route

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney committed Thursday to keeping in place the federal oil tanker ban off British Columbia’s northern coast, as Alberta prepared to unveil its long-awaited pipeline proposal , raising expectations that the planned route may run to ports in the southern part of the province.

Carney appeared alongside B.C. Premier David Eby to announce a multi-billion dollar plan with the province to boost its liquefied natural gas and mining developments alongside other major infrastructure upgrades, under a newly struck “prosperity agreement.”

“We’re also clear that today’s Canada-B.C. agreement will maintain the federal North Coast tanker ban in accordance with the proposed route of a new trans-provincial pipeline under the bilateral agreement with Canada and Alberta,” the prime minister said.

Considering an “adjustment” to the 2019 ban was one of the commitments that Carney had made last fall to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who is pushing for the construction of a new million-barrel-a-day pipeline from the oilsands to the West Coast.

Since then, her United Conservative Party government, which has put some $14-million in taxpayer money towards preparing an application to be considered for federal approval, has been studying different routes, including one that runs south.

One such route that the premier has said was being explored was the prospect of shipping oil to Roberts Bank terminal in Delta, south of Vancouver.

Carney declined to confirm whether maintaining the federal oil tanker ban signalled that Alberta would be pursuing a southern route, as opposed to a northern one which Smith had initially said that she favoured.

“You can draw your own conclusions, but you can also wait until this afternoon” for Alberta’s announcement, said Carney, who is set to travel to Calgary later on Thursday to appear alongside the premier as she unveils the details of her pipeline proposal.

Eby and some First Nations along B.C.’s northern coast have been vocally opposed to any lifting of the tanker ban, which was put into law under former prime minister Justin Trudeau in legislation known as Bill C-48.

Trudeau instituted that ban after fierce opposition and protests from numerous First Nations and environmental groups over the proposed construction of the Northern Gateway pipeline proposed by Enbridge, which Trudeau had cancelled federal approval for in 2016.

On Thursday, B.C.’s premier celebrated securing the commitment from Carney to keep the ban as a “significant win” for the province, which wants its “pristine” ecosystem and surrounding economy protected, he said.

“We have anxiety about the impact of any new pipeline project, period, on British Columbia’s coast,” Eby said.

He cited how the newly struck deal with Carney, which includes a federal plan to support upwards of $10 billion worth of upgrades to the Roberts Bank terminal, also includes what he said were safeguards against the risk of spills.

Eby emphasized how while the agreement “doesn’t require us to support any pipeline proposal from Alberta,” he said he understands that it lies within federal jurisdiction on whether or not to approve a pipeline, not the province’s.

“We will not be going to court to fight a pipeline project,” he said. “Instead, we will ensure we fulfill our constitutional obligations in good faith. Pipelines are federal jurisdiction, that’s why this agreement matters.”

Carney is set to appear alongside Smith to discuss her pipeline proposal in Calgary at 6 p.m. local time. His government has agreed to work towards designating the project to be in the “national interest” by October. That would trigger the process which the prime minister introduced last year to provide more upfront approvals in the hopes of getting more big projects built faster.

Under the Ottawa-Alberta deal, the federal government committed to providing the necessary approvals for construction of a new West Coast pipeline by September 2027.

While Alberta is acting as the initial pipeline proponent, Smith has said her government’s plan is to hand it off to a private sector proponent.

A non-profit activist group comprising some First Nations leaders applauded Thursday’s announcement that the oil tanker ban would stay in place.

“We applaud B.C. Premier David Eby for his leadership in upholding the oil tanker ban and we thank Prime Minister Carney for recognizing the importance of our coast,” Marilyn Slett, president of the Coastal First Nations-Great Bear Initiative and chief of the Heiltsuk Nation, said in a statement.

More to come …

-With files from Chris Varcoe

-National Post

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