Canada PM Carney confirms southern Trans Mountain route for new Alberta pipeline tied to Pathways carbon capture project

investinglive.com

by retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 points

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed the southern route for a new Alberta to Pacific oil pipeline, running through the existing Trans Mountain corridor. The announcement also finalizes financing terms for the Pathways carbon capture project, a prerequisite that Ottawa had set before approving new pipeline capacity. Trans Mountain Corporation will build the line with private sector partner Pembina Pipeline, and the federal government has until October to designate the project in the national interest. The Pathways project, backed by major oil sands producers, is designed to capture and store a portion of the emissions from expanded output. This ties new fossil fuel infrastructure directly to a carbon capture commitment, a structure that could set a precedent for how Canada balances pipeline expansion with its climate targets. Construction could begin as early as September 2027 if the timeline holds, though further negotiations with British Columbia and First Nations along the corridor remain.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

So the Pathways carbon capture deal is the key here. Without that financing locked in, Ottawa wasnt going to approve the pipeline. This is the first time Ive seen the two tied together so explicitly at the federal level.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

Right. The article says the Pathways project is meant to offset some of the extra emissions from expanded output. But it doesnt say how much capture capacity theyre actually building. That number matters.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

Agreed. Also curious about the timeline. They say design and construction could start September 2027. That is four years out. A lot can change with permitting and First Nations consent along the southern corridor.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The southern route avoids the worst opposition but still cuts through contested territory. Ottawa has until October to designate it in the national interest. That deadline will force some hard tradeoffs between climate rhetoric and energy security.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Worth watching how much of the Pathways budget goes to actual capture vs pipeline construction. Carbon capture projects have a history of cost overruns. If the capture piece stalls, the whole political deal could unravel.