Breakenridge: Waves of new support for pipelines but none in the works​on February 11, 2025 at 1:00 pm

Canada’s sudden outbreak of pipeline fever shows no sign of abating.

An Angus Reid poll released last week shows a solid majority of Canadians in every province support the idea that Canada needs oil and gas pipelines running across the country. That sentiment was as high as 89 per cent in Alberta, but even in Quebec the number was an impressive 74 per cent.

It’s remarkable the extent to which Donald Trump’s tariff threats against Canada have shifted the conversation around this issue.

To further underscore that point, federal Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson last week suggested that Ottawa and the provinces discuss the possibility of an oil pipeline to Eastern Canada. It was certainly not a headline one would have expected to see just a few years or even a few months ago.

This is all actually somewhat unfortunate in a way, since there’s no actual major pipeline proposal that stands to benefit from this wave of enthusiasm. Nor is it clear how serious or lasting the Liberals’ presence on this bandwagon might prove to be. Nonetheless, we should welcome this potential opportunity.

If we’re smart, and if the will is there, we can make some meaningful progress on diversifying and expanding exports.

Wilkinson specifically cited Canada’s “vulnerabilities” that have been exposed by Trump’s threats, including the fact that Canada is “so dependent on the United States for the export of oil.” He also noted that much of the existing energy infrastructure that serves Canada does pass through the United States. That includes the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, which runs through to Sarnia, Ont., and, from there, moves product through Ontario and Quebec. Michigan’s governor, though, has previously tried to shut that pipeline down.

If there’s a strategic need to build alternatives that run solely through Canada, then that’s a different conversation. An Alberta-to-Sarnia pipeline that is 100 per cent on Canadian soil would be a difficult and costly undertaking. Moreover, we’d be no further ahead in terms of overall production or access to other markets.

Much of the same could be said for the Energy East pipeline. Wilkinson didn’t specifically mention that project, which was cancelled before the Liberals could make a final decision. While they never went on record against the project, it’s clear the Liberals weren’t big fans. Now, though, there seems to be an openness to something at least similar to Energy East.

In recent weeks, the premiers of both Alberta and Nova Scotia have called on Ottawa to “immediately approve” Energy East. Again, there’s nothing for Ottawa to approve and there’s no refinery in Nova Scotia, so it’s unclear what Alberta would be shipping to them.