Back-and-forth over pipeline push between premiers Smith and Eby continues

It is still likely at least a decade away, if ever, but a new pipeline to the North B.C. coast has already stirred up intense back-and-forth.

Western Canadian premiers continued their back-and-forth Friday over the prospect of a new crude pipeline to the West Coast.

This week, the B.C. government backed a proposal to move more Alberta product to international ports by increasing capacity to the Trans Mountain pipeline.

But Premier David Eby hasn’t been happy with the response.

“The existing publicly owned pipeline that was built to service the province of Alberta, over the objections of British Columbia, and that cost about $30 billion of taxpayer dollars, is not at full capacity,” he said.

“So I’m a bit challenged by the approach (Alberta’s government) is taking to our province right now.”

Premier Danielle Smith agrees with Eby about capacity increases but wants even more infrastructure once that happens.

“I think that is the beginning, not the end of it,” she told CTV News.

“I want to see pipelines in all directions (and) there’s lots of other proposals that are on the table.”

Both leaders brought up the collaborative “Team Canada” approach Friday to justify their province’s desire.

“This is what Team Canada looks like,” Smith said.

“When you’ve got provinces that don’t have access to a shoreline, we co-operate to make sure we can get our products to market.

“We used to be able to do that fairly easily.”

“My sincere hope is that Ottawa recognizes both the jurisdiction of British Columbia and also the common sense that you might want to check with the locals if you’re discussing policy in their province,” Eby responded.

Despite blowing past her Grey Cup deadline, Smith told reporters Friday she’s still confident the prime minister is on board with her line plan.

Right now, she says the ball is in Mark Carney’s court when it comes to signing a memorandum of understanding.

Smith believes if her government is going to get a deal done, it will happen in “a matter of weeks.”

Capacity issues?

Work is being done to beef up TMX.

Drag-reduction additives will soon speed up the moving crude, and looping lines in the route’s slow areas will allow more oil to flow.

It’s currently at roughly 85 per cent capacity.

“Most agree we’ll be at 100 (per cent capacity) by 2026,” said Richard Masson, University of Calgary School of Public Policy energy expert.

“And there are a lot of other projects that could be developed that would add new production, and that would more than fill up that pipeline.”

The issue, Masson believes, will be clearing regulatory hurdles and avoiding drawn-out lawsuits that are likely inevitable.

On top of that, a private proponent has not yet stepped forward.

Masson believes that won’t be the hard part.

“If the pipeline looks realistic, people can grow their production to fill it,” he said.

“But the pipeline is a long way from realistic.”