Environmental groups say they wanted to see a more concrete commitment to decarbonization in the proposal put forward for a pipeline to the B.C. coast backed by the Alberta and federal governments.
Representatives from both the Pembina Institute and Clean Prosperity said Friday the proposal should have included a solid commitment to finalizing the Pathways carbon capture project.
“I think it’s time to completely discount the notion that the Pathways project is an actual real project that’s going to contribute to emission reductions,” Chris Severson-Baker, the Pembina Institute’s executive director, said in an interview from Calgary.
“I actually think that the prime minister putting as much stock in it without putting any conditions on proponents to actually do it will finally expose it for what it is.”
The deal signed between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith last year made a pipeline conditional on advancing carbon capture and storage.
The two leaders announced Thursday that they are close to finalizing an agreement with the Oil Sands Alliance on the construction of the Pathways project.
A media release issued by the federal government Thursday said the project is expected to cut emissions by 16 million tonnes annually once it’s fully operational.
Severson-Baker said that in order for a second pipeline to make sense along the existing Trans Mountain route, oil companies will have to dramatically increase production.
The cost of the new pipeline is estimated at between $35.2 billion and $43.7 billion.
The Alberta government is partnering with the federally owned Trans Mountain Corp and Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline has an initial 10 per cent stake in the project.
“The amount of risk that’s being taken on by taxpayers is enormous.
It’s really telling that no private proponent is interested after all the effort that the premier and the prime minister have put in to remove every single obstacle that there is,” Severson-Baker said.
“I think Canadians are also going to be wondering what is the plan to deal with greenhouse gases.
That concern is still there, the imperative to address climate change is still there, and Canada has no plan to achieve it.”

Michael Bernstein, Clean Prosperity CEO, said Thursday’s pipeline announcement offered “positive but modest climate action ambition.”
“I think that if the two parties are going to adapt the agreement to respond to circumstances as they did, to take on ownership of the pipeline – then I think there should be scope also to look at how to … strengthen the climate aspect of the deal too,” Bernstein said.
Both clean energy groups said they are encouraged by the agreement Carney announced Thursday with B.C. Premier David Eby to, among other things, expand clean electricity in the province.
“I think the announcement with B.C. has some really big potential in it in terms of having B.C. and the federal government to lead a conversation nationally about how to make carbon markets really work effectively,” Bernstein said.
Eby is opposed to the proposed pipeline but has said his government will not fight it in court.