Mark Carney says Pacific Link pipeline is a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" for Canadian energy

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney advanced the proposed Pacific Link oil pipeline on Thursday by labeling it a nationally significant project under legislation intended to speed approvals for large builds. Appearing in Fort McMurray with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, he pointed to the line’s planned one-million-barrel-per-day capacity to the Pacific as a way to diversify Canadian energy exports from the United States toward Asian buyers. The move comes amid U.S. trade tensions and before Alberta’s Oct. 19 vote on whether to hold a referendum on leaving Canada; Smith said she would back staying and described recent poll numbers for leaving as too high. Being named does not guarantee construction, with financing, shipper commitments, environmental objections and Indigenous concerns still unresolved. Carney said final regulatory requirements are expected by September 2027, and the pipeline could begin operating in 2032 or 2033.