Pipeline from Alberta to BC: Premier Smith playing political game with public money

Premier Danielle Smith is moving ahead with a plan for Alberta to champion a new oil pipeline to the northwest coast of British Columbia, committing $14 million in taxpayer money for preliminary work and regulatory application, despite there being no private sector proponent or defined route for the project at this stage. The proposal is seen as a political maneuver, with heavy criticism from B.C. leaders, First Nations, climate advocates, and even segments of Alberta’s oil industry, who question both the lack of private investment and the substantial public spending on what many term an unrealistic or purely political initiative.globalnews+4

Political Context and Criticism

• Premier Smith’s announcement frames the pipeline as a test of national unity and a challenge to federal leadership, pressing Prime Minister Carney for regulatory changes and the lifting of B.C.'s oil tanker ban.theenergymix+2

• B.C. Premier David Eby and coastal First Nations were quick to reject the proposal, emphasizing environmental risks and a long-standing moratorium on oil tankers, while denouncing the project as “taxpayer-funded wedge politics” with no real economic foundation.cbc+2

• Critics argue Smith’s move is designed to provoke federal pushback, galvanize separatist sentiment in Alberta, and score political points rather than deliver a viable infrastructure project.theenergymix

Use of Public Funds

• Alberta’s $14 million commitment is limited to planning and regulatory filings, but Smith hasn’t specified a ceiling for further taxpayer investment and acknowledges that the province cannot afford the $20–30 billion likely needed for construction.cbc+1

• Smith claims private sector support will follow if regulatory barriers (like the tanker ban) are removed, yet so far, no pipeline company is prepared to take on commercial risk, and private firms remain wary due to environmental regulations and B.C. opposition.biv+2

• Previous governments have also spent public money on failed pipeline projects (e.g., Keystone XL), amplifying skepticism about repeating such interventions.cbc

Indigenous and Industry Reactions

• Coastal First Nations have issued strong statements of opposition, referencing decades of resistance to oil pipelines and tankers in their territories.globalnews+2

• Business groups and federal conservatives offer praise for nation-building ambitions, but many Alberta oil sector voices also display unease about direct government involvement and the lack of a credible private backer.biv+2

Summary Table: Reactions to Alberta Pipeline Initiative

Actor/Stakeholder	Reaction/Position	Citation
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith	Assertive pitch, seeks federal cooperation, $14M public funds for planning	cbc+1
B.C. Premier David Eby	Opposed, calls project “not real” and “alarming”	globalnews+1
Coastal First Nations	Firmly opposed, fears environmental damage	globalnews+1
Alberta Oil Industry	Mixed: wants new pipeline but wary of government intervention	cbc+1
Federal Government	Promises fair process, stresses Indigenous and jurisdictional consensus	nationalpost+1

Smith’s pipeline proposal is thus highly contentious, with the political dimension—using public resources for a project criticized as unviable in its current form—dominating the current debate.globalnews+2

1. https://globalnews.ca/news/11460242/bc-premier-react-alberta-plan-oil-pipeline-to-the-coast/
2. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/oilpatch-pipeline-alberta-1.7648452
3. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-pipeline-proposal-reaction-first-nations-business-environment-1.7649652
4. https://www.theenergymix.com/albertas-new-pipeline-pitch-bad-for-business-disastrous-for-climate-analysts-say/
5. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/alta-premier-wont-say-maximum-province-will-pay-to-build-new-pipeline/
6. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/smith-carney-poilievre-pipeline-analysis-1.7649498
7. https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/smith-says-alberta-will-look-to-send-more-oil-to-u-s-if-carney-fails-to-put-pipeline-on-nation-building-list
8. https://www.biv.com/news/enbridge-ceo-urges-tanker-ban-end-says-no-company-will-build-pipeline-to-nowhere-11295295
9. https://globalnews.ca/news/11461485/alberta-pipeline-push-enbridge-cibc/
10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyX-WJeN0qk
11. https://www.thetyee.ca/News/2025/10/02/Smith-Pushes-New-Pipeline-Eby-No-Way/
12. https://calgaryherald.com/business/alberta-to-lead-push-for-new-pipeline-to-canadas-west-coast
13. https://www.nationalobserver.com/2025/10/02/opinion/how-alberta-could-actually-get-its-pipeline
14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX6_rax3Auw
15. https://northernbeat.ca/opinion/premiers-smith-and-eby-clash-as-alberta-backs-oil-pipeline-project/
16. https://ca.news.yahoo.com/fast-sometimes-furious-reaction-albertas-224323044.html
17. https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/10/02/alberta-bc-coast-pipeline-jason-kenney/
18. https://www.nationalobserver.com/2025/10/02/analysis/danielle-smith-mark-carney-pipeline-announcement