PM Carney and Alberta Premier Smith Announce Alberta-to-Pacific Pipeline Through Trans Mountain Corridor to Permanently Reduce Canada’s 95% US Oil Export Dependence
Canada took a major step on July 2, 2026, toward opening a new route for its vast oil reserves to Asian markets as Prime Minister Mark Carney advanced a Pacific Coast pipeline from Alberta, seeking to reduce the country’s dependence on the US while easing separatist tensions and preserving environmental protections. ABC News
The future pipeline is expected to carry 1 million barrels of oil a day, from oil-rich Alberta, across British Columbia, to the country’s west coast, giving Canada new access to Asian markets. In total, the Canadian government is preparing projects worth $105 billion, including LNG terminals and the expansion of Prince Rupert deepwater port in British Columbia.
The project’s objective is straightforward: break Canada’s near-total dependence on the US, which still absorbs roughly 95% to 97% of Alberta’s crude exports. The Alberta government is partnering with the federally owned Trans Mountain Corporation and Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline on what it calls the West Coast oil pipeline.
Potential construction may commence as early as September 1, 2027, provided that duty to consult with Indigenous communities obligations have been met. British Columbia Premier David Eby secured a commitment to keep the northern tanker ban in place, protecting the province’s pristine northern coast.
A study by ATB Financial and Studio.Energy found that expanding Canadian oil pipeline capacity could add an average of $31.4 billion annually to Canada’s real GDP between 2027 and 2035 and support 112,000 extra Canadian jobs. Canada is not just building a pipeline; it is restructuring its entire energy geopolitics in one move.
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