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[digital jingle] This is a CBC podcast. Hi, I'm Rebecca Zandbergen, and you're listening to The Current podcast. The new proposed West Coast pipeline is the first project designated of national interest under the Building Canada Act. Prime Minister Mark Carney was in Fort McMurray yesterday to make the announcement alongside Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Named the Pacific Link, the pipeline would carry as much as a million barrels of oil a day from Alberta to the BC coast, and it would largely follow the existing Trans Mountain pipeline route. And here's what the prime minister says will happen next.
Over the next year, the Major Projects Office, supported by Canada's energy regulator, will lead consultations with all stakeholders to set the conditions for the projects, specifics about the ownership, the benefits, the environmental protections, and the local hiring, contracting, and oversight.
CBC's business reporter Kyle Bakx is in Calgary. Good morning.
Good morning, Rebecca.
Uh, so it's clear the federal government is all in. Alberta's all in. Does that mean this thing is going ahead?
Well, I would describe it as one step forward on a long journey ahead because there's a lot more work to do and, and some significant hurdles to overcome, but at least for now, we have a name, Pacific Link, so at least we know what to call it.
Mm-hmm. Okay, you were, you were in Fort McMurray this week and spoke to some people there. Let, let's have a listen to a few of them.
I don't think it'll ever be as crazy as the 2006 booms were, you know, four hours to drive to site 'cause traffic was so bad, but I do see smaller booms happening and steadier booms happening, which is good. Uh, I can see the community looking a lot busier. I can see more development, more families moving into the area, better opportunities for improved infrastructure and services, and just general growth.
So a long road ahead, but if this goes ahead, what, what does this project mean for Fort McMurray?
Well, it means a lot. You know, the last 10, 12 years have been pretty tough there. You know, the oil prices crashed. There were wildfires. There was a, a devastating flood to the downtown. So, you know, people describe how it's been really sluggish. It's been, you know, a lot of doom and gloom, but even just over the last year, there's been a real upswing. You know, high oil prices are partly responsible, but, but a lot of it is also anticipation of this new pipeline and then what it could mean for construction of new projects potentially in the oil sands. And so this community that is known for these meteoric oil booms and crippling busts over the past number of
Episode notes
After months of talk, a new proposed oil pipeline to the west coast has a name, a route and backing from the federal government. Pacific Link has been designated a “Project of National Interest” and would carry as much as a million barrels of oil a day from Alberta to the B.C. coast, largely following the existing Trans Mountain corridor. CBC business reporter Kyle Bakx has the latest.