October 2, 2026
The Government of Canada has officially listed the proposed West Coast Oil Pipeline as a project of national interest under the Building Canada Act, moving the major energy infrastructure proposal into the Act’s federal regulatory framework.
The project would transport approximately one million barrels of Canadian crude oil per day from Bruderheim, Alberta, to a proposed deepwater port near Delta, British Columbia, providing additional access to international markets. The final route and project features have not yet been determined.
The West Coast Oil Pipeline was referred to the federal Major Projects Office (MPO) on July 2, 2026. Following consultations and review, the federal government added the project to Schedule 1 of the Building Canada Act on October 1.
The Act establishes a coordinated federal process for infrastructure projects designated as being in the national interest. Listing a project does not eliminate the subsequent regulatory review or consultation requirements; rather, it brings applicable federal authorizations into a more centralized process.
The government says the pipeline could help diversify Canadian crude oil exports beyond the United States. Federal documentation notes that 90.1% of Canadian crude exports went to the U.S. in 2025, despite additional Pacific export capacity created by the Trans Mountain Expansion Project.
According to the Major Projects Office, Trans Mountain Corporation, the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission and Pembina Pipeline Corporation will form and lead a new company for the project.
Pembina’s economic interest during construction is expected to be 10%, with an opportunity for up to an additional 10% once commercial operations begin. Trans Mountain Corporation and the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission would hold equal shares of the remaining ownership.
The project is also expected to provide an opportunity for Indigenous equity participation, with details to be developed as project-specific information becomes available during the regulatory review. Trans Mountain is expected to design, develop, permit, construct and operate the pipeline on behalf of the new company.
Consultation with Indigenous communities has already formed part of the listing process.
Between July 3 and September 18, the Major Projects Office held more than 140 meetings with representatives of over 110 Indigenous communities and organizations and received more than 100 written submissions. Some Indigenous communities raised concerns about the consultation timeline, according to the federal Order in Council.
Consultation will continue during the regulatory review, which will include Canada Energy Regulator hearings examining technical, environmental, social, cultural, health, safety and security considerations, as well as potential effects on Aboriginal and treaty rights.
Federal estimates indicate that direct and indirect employment associated with pipeline construction and related upstream development could peak at approximately 140,000 jobs. This is an estimate rather than a confirmed employment outcome.
For Canada’s construction sector, a project of this scale could involve extensive engineering, pipeline construction, marine infrastructure, procurement, environmental work and skilled trades requirements if it proceeds through regulatory review and into construction.
The government also links the proposed pipeline to broader efforts to expand Canada’s access to international energy markets, particularly in Asia.
The federal government’s national-interest determination does not mean the pipeline has completed its regulatory assessment.
Government documentation acknowledges that the project is expected to increase greenhouse gas emissions and could have adverse marine and terrestrial environmental effects. The government’s position is that these effects can be further evaluated and addressed through regulatory review, mitigation measures and project conditions. Those conclusions and proposed mitigations will form part of the continuing review and consultation process.
The final pipeline route will also be determined through further work involving affected stakeholders, Indigenous communities, landowners and communities in Alberta and British Columbia.
With the West Coast Oil Pipeline now listed under the Building Canada Act, project development can proceed within the federal national-interest framework while detailed planning, regulatory assessment and consultation continue.
If ultimately authorized and constructed, the proposed pipeline would add approximately one million barrels per day of crude oil transportation capacity and establish new terminal and marine infrastructure connecting Canadian oil production with international markets.
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