CALGARY — Elizabeth May says Canadians haven’t seen a convincing business case for Alberta’s proposed West Coast oil pipeline, questioning the role of a Crown corporation in a project that could cost tens of billions of dollars.“There is no business case for this West Coast oil pipeline. None,” the Green Party leader told reporters on Sunday.“I see nothing in what the government has planned or announced that suggests they think they need to have one.”.May also challenged the notion that the project had a private-sector proponent, pointing out that Trans Mountain Corporation had been acquired by the federal government after Kinder Morgan withdrew from the Trans Mountain expansion project in May 2018.“The proponent, contrary to various press releases and unenforceable promises from [Energy Minister] Tim Hodgson and others that there would be a private sector proponent, there isn't one,” May stated.“The proponent is a Crown corporation.”The new pipeline proposed by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government would run roughly 1,250 kilometres from the Bruderheim area — northeast of Edmonton — to a marine terminal in southern BC and is designed to carry up to one million barrels of oil per day to export markets.The federal Major Projects Office is currently reviewing the project and is set to make a decision on whether the proposal is in the national interest on October 1.If approved, construction could begin as early as September 2027, provided consultation is complete and all required permits and approvals are granted..Angus Reid poll finds strong support for Alberta pipelines to BC and Ontario .Contrary to May’s description of the project, the proposal does have a private-sector participant in Pembina Pipeline Corporation.Documents previously released by the Alberta and federal governments show Pembina is slated to hold a 10% economic interest during construction, with the option to acquire up to another 10% once the pipeline becomes operational.Trans Mountain, Alberta’s Petroleum Marketing Commission and Pembina also plan to form a jointly owned company.Public support for a pipeline to the BC coast has steadily increased in recent months.An Angus Reid poll from July found that 63% of respondents supported a pipeline from Alberta to BC, while 55% said diversifying oil markets beyond the US was a compelling reason to build the project.Despite this, May pointed to the cost of the earlier Trans Mountain expansion, saying the roughly $34 billion spent on that project was a waste of money by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government and a “misplaced, absurd effort.”“I think at a minimum, Canadians need to know there is no business case for this project,” May said.
