West Coast Oil Pipeline National-Interest Listing

Summary#

This notice says the federal government is considering listing the West Coast Oil Pipeline as a project of national interest under the Building Canada Act. If listed, the project could move through federal approvals on a faster, more coordinated track. The notice was published on August 1, 2026.

What it does#

• Signals that the Governor in Council may add the pipeline to Schedule 1 of the Building Canada Act, which is a step that can let the federal government streamline federal approval processes for the project.
• Says the government will consult with the provinces where the pipeline would sit — Alberta and British Columbia — and continue consultations with Indigenous rights‑holders.
• Lists factors the government may consider when deciding whether to list the project, including whether the project can:
  • strengthen Canada’s autonomy, resilience and security;
  • provide economic or other benefits to Canada;
  • have a high likelihood of successful execution;
  • advance the interests of Indigenous peoples; and
  • contribute to clean growth and Canada’s climate objectives.
• Describes the proposed pipeline and main components:
  • capacity of one million barrels per day of Canadian crude oil;
  • route from Bruderheim, Alberta (about 50 km northeast of Edmonton) to a deepwater port near Delta, British Columbia (about 35 km south of Vancouver);
  • pipeline length of up to approximately 1 250 km;
  • a receipt tank terminal in Bruderheim, Alberta;
  • power interconnection, transmission, and possible generation;
  • approximately 11 pump stations;
  • delivery tanks and an offshore marine loading facility sized for Very Large Crude Carrier vessels.
• Identifies the proponents who plan to form a new jointly owned entity: Trans Mountain Corporation, Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, and Pembina Pipeline Corporation.
• Invites public views to be sent by email to WCOPComment-CommentaireOCO@mpo-bgp.gc.ca by September 18, 2026.

Who's affected#

• People and communities along the proposed route between Bruderheim, Alberta and the deepwater port near Delta, British Columbia.
• Indigenous rights‑holders and communities where consultations are already underway.
• The provincial governments of Alberta and British Columbia, which will be consulted directly.
• The project proponents: Trans Mountain Corporation, Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, and Pembina Pipeline Corporation.
• Businesses involved in crude oil production, pipeline construction and operation, and marine shipping and ports — though the notice itself does not approve construction or operation.

Why it matters#

• Being listed as a national interest project can speed up and coordinate federal approvals. That can make it easier for a large infrastructure project to proceed more quickly than under the usual process.
• The pipeline would increase capacity to move Canadian crude to a West Coast export port, which could affect oil exports and related economic activity.
• Listing would not automatically approve the project. The government still weighs economic, Indigenous, environmental and climate considerations before deciding.
• The public, local communities and Indigenous groups have a chance to comment before the government decides; submissions are due September 18, 2026.