Alberta Premier Smith asks Carney to accelerate pipeline approval

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith met with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Jan. 9 and said Alberta will submit a pipeline proposal earlier than planned to Ottawa's Major Projects Office while asking for an accelerated federal approval process amid events in Venezuela.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith met with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Jan. 9 to press for quicker federal approval of an oil pipeline from Alberta to the British Columbia coast. She connected the request to recent events in Venezuela. Smith announced that Alberta will submit the pipeline proposal to Ottawa's Major Projects Office earlier than previously planned. She also asked Carney to accelerate the approval process. Known details: - Smith met with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Jan. 9. - Alberta will submit a pipeline proposal to Ottawa's Major Projects Office earlier than previously announced. - Smith urged the prime minister to accelerate the federal approval process for construction of an oil pipeline to the B.C. coast. - She cited events in Venezuela as the reason for pressing for faster review. Summary: The request underscores provincial urgency to advance a major energy project and to speed federal review. The immediate next step is Alberta's earlier submission of a pipeline proposal to the Major Projects Office. Undetermined at this time.