The Canadian federal government has announced the designation of the proposed 1 mb/d West Coast Oil Pipeline from Alberta to Canada’s west coast as a “project of national interest”, putting the project on a path towards fast-track approval (Canadian government announcement, 01/10/2026).
The federal government is referring the planned pipeline, now renamed Pacific Link, to the Major Projects Office (MPO), which will review the project application over the next year. With support from the Canada Energy Regulator (CER), the MPO aims to finalize the pipeline’s conditions by 1 September 2027, “clearing the way to get shovels in the ground”, according to the prime minister.
Pacific Link is designed to transport Albertan crude to an expanded Roberts Bank Terminal in metropolitan Vancouver, British Columbia. “Pacific Link will reduce our dependence on the United States by allowing Canada to export an additional one million barrels a day to growing markets in Asia”, said the government’s statement. Pacific Link will reduce dependence on the US, currently the destination for 90% of Alberta’s oil, and will play a key role in helping Canada double its non-US exports over the next decade, the Canadian prime minister stated.
The project represents a strategic move for Canada, which is currently engaged in a trade war with the US, with billions of dollars’ worth of goods subject to tariffs imposed by both countries. At the same time, Canada is advancing major energy projects to strengthen its position in energy markets, supported by an expanding pipeline of projects under development. A few days ago, a final investment decision was taken on phase 2 of LNG Canada in British Columbia, which will double the size of the LNG project and aims to export energy to Asian markets (KEI, 30/09/2026)
According to our data, Canada’s oil production has increased by 4%/year since 2010, reaching 314 Mt in 2025 (+89%). It has more than doubled since 2000. This progression follows the development of non-conventional oil, which accounted for 66% of total oil production in 2025. Net oil exports have tripled since 2010, rising from 60 Mt to 193 Mt in 2025, with most of this volume destined for the United States.
Until now, the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin produced most of the conventional crude oil. In particular, Alberta produced 85% of total Canadian crude oil in 2025. Most of the production of bituminous oil sand also comes from Alberta. However, new areas are being developed, in particular in Newfoundland and Labrador, at five main offshore fields: Hibernia, Terra Nova, White Rose, North Amethyst, and Hebron (Enerdata Global Energy Research)