East–West oil corridor
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to immediately create an east–west energy corridor to replace imported oil with Canadian crude, boosting the economy and lowering environmental impact. The government responds that it supports major nation‑building energy projects, prefers market‑based proposals, and says no formal west‑to‑east pipeline proposal has been submitted.
Why we would sign this petition
- Keeps crude supply domestic, supporting Canadian refining capacity and local jobs.
- Could reduce environmental impacts if Canadian extraction and refining follow stricter standards than some foreign sources.
- Strengthens energy security by lowering dependence on imported crude and increasing domestic control of supply.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Large infrastructure projects are costly and take time, so an "immediate" plan may be impractical.
- A market‑based policy and private‑sector role mean a government plan may conflict with market signals or provincial interests.
- Investing in renewables, hydrogen and grid integration could achieve energy security and emissions goals with fewer trade‑offs than new oil infrastructure.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas, the government continues to allow refineries to import foreign oil, in spite of a struggling oil and gas industry in Canada that extracts and refines the most ethically sourced oil in the world, ultimately resulting in additional environmental impact due to the lower standards for foreign oil extraction which is not subject to the same rigorous environmental assessments and criteria as Canada. Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately put in place a plan for an east/west energy corridor to replace foreign oil so that Canada's source of oil and crude remains in Canada serving the dual function of economic stimulus and environmental protection.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Signed by The Honourable Tim Hodgson, P.C., M.P. The Government of Canada supports clean and conventional nation-building energy projects that provide economic opportunities at home, reduce global emissions, strengthen energy security, and provide benefits for Indigenous Peoples. The Government of Canada is focused on building one Canadian economy by removing barriers to interprovincial trade and identifying and expediting nation-building projects that will connect and transform our country. Back in June 2025, the government passed the One Canadian Economy Act, which provides a framework to rapidly advance major projects of national interest, so Canada can be stronger at home and abroad. On September 11, 2025, the Prime Minister announced the first series of projects being referred to the Major Projects Office for consideration. The Government will continue to review these and other projects and make further announcements over the coming months. Canada maintains a market-based energy policy that relies on the private sector to determine when and where energy projects should be brought forward. Canada is committed to developing these resources in a sustainable manner that protects Canada’s rich natural environment, respects the rights of Indigenous Peoples, creates jobs, build a stronger economy, and supports a more resilient natural resources sector. At this time, there has not been a formal project proposal submitted to a federal regulatory agency to build a West-to-East crude oil pipeline. Canada is the world’s fourth largest oil producer and third largest oil exporter. It also imports crude oil for some parts of the country. Canada has decreased crude oil imports by 40% from 820,000 barrels per day in 2010 to 490,000 barrels per day in 2023. The Government of Canada is taking action to keep our energy supply secure today while preparing for an increasingly low carbon future. Our energy future depends on meeting our energy security needs. We are supporting hydrogen, renewables, geothermal and biofuels and integrating our electricity grids to provide reliable, affordable and sustainable energy to power our country, especially in the race to power AI. Across our energy and natural resource sector, we are committed to delivery, not delay. Together, we will build the infrastructure, systems and partnerships required to ensure Canada’s economy remains strong, sustainable and sovereign.