Alberta Premier Urges Ottawa Fast‑Track Pipeline Approval Amid Venezuela Tensions

On Jan. 9 2026, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith urged Ottawa to fast‑track approval for a proposed 1 million‑barrel‑per‑day bitumen pipeline to the northwest British Columbia coast, warning that delays would cost the province market share and investment. Smith plans to submit the application to the federal Major Projects Office by June and seeks approval by fall. Former U.S.‑tariff‑sensitive energy minister Sonya Savage said the likelihood of a private‑sector build is “zero” without government backstops. The pipeline follows a November memorandum of understanding between Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney, which emphasizes private financing but not cost‑overrun guarantees. Critics cite past projects such as Trans Mountain and Enbridge Line 9 that required federal intervention. B.C. Premier David Eby has suggested a publicly funded refinery instead, sparking debate over the most efficient way to move oilsands to export markets.