Alberta backs bill to repeal federal oil tanker ban

The Alberta government is urging MPs to repeal the federal oil tanker ban off British Columbia’s north coast, a day before the House of Commons is scheduled to debate a private member’s bill that would do so.

Premier Danielle Smith and Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean issued a joint statement Monday backing Bill C-264, which would repeal the federal Oil Tanker Moratorium Act. Debate on the bill is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, according to the Alberta government.

“Alberta supports private member’s Bill C-264 to repeal the federal Oil Tanker Moratorium Act,” Smith said in the statement.

Smith said Alberta holds the world’s fourth-largest proven oil reserves and that its crude sells at a discount to U.S. prices. More export routes, including crude by rail through Prince Rupert, B.C., would give Alberta producers more customers, she said. She also pointed to revenue for public services and economic opportunities for Indigenous communities.

Jean said a Prince Rupert route “would provide the shortest energy shipping route to Asia” and would cut shipping costs, fuel use and emissions. He said producers have shown interest in the route.

The minister noted the moratorium applies only to oil and not to natural gas, and that foreign tankers already travel the northwest coast to U.S. ports. He said Canada’s marine safety record supports allowing oil tankers. Jean added that the Pacific Link pipeline, which would ship from southern B.C., does not remove the need for export capacity on the northwest coast.

The statement follows Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s request that Prime Minister Mark Carney scrap the tanker ban. Export access matters to Albertans because of the price gap on their crude. Oil has climbed with Brent at a six-month high and WTI above US$100, but Alberta barrels still sell below benchmark prices.

Private members’ bills rarely become law without government support, and the Carney government has not said how it will vote. The Alberta statement is available on the Government of Alberta website.

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