Indigenous communities are re-energizing their efforts to secure ownership stakes in Canadian oil pipelines, spurred by Alberta's latest proposal for a new West Coast pipeline. This renewed push follows previous attempts by a coalition of First Nations and Métis communities, including a 2021 partnership with Pembina Pipeline Corp., to acquire the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, although the federal government has so far resisted its sale.
The proposed pipeline, dubbed the West Coast Pipeline, is estimated to cost between $35.2 billion and $43.7 billion, and is presented as a public-private partnership. Initially, 90% of the project would be held by provincial and federal Crown corporations, with Pembina Pipeline Corp. holding a 10% interest during construction, with the option to increase its stake to 20% once the pipeline is operational. Both the Alberta and federal governments have emphasized Indigenous equity partnership as an "essential part" of the project, promising to "facilitate opportunities" for communities to invest through respective Indigenous loan agencies, though some believe Indigenous groups may wait for steady cash flow before investing.
The project plans to largely follow the route of the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, from the Edmonton area to the B.C. Lower Mainland, with Trans Mountain Corp. acting as its developer, builder, and operator. This alignment is significant given the federal government's 2018 acquisition of the Trans Mountain pipeline for $4.5 billion, after its initial owner, Kinder Morgan, withdrew due to escalating costs and legal delays. The expansion of that pipeline ultimately soared to $34 billion. The new pipeline aims to deliver over 1 million barrels per day to a terminal in Delta, B.C., facilitating shipments to Asian markets.
