OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to travel to Alberta on Friday to meet with Premier Danielle Smith and announce an update related to their pipeline memorandum of understanding, according to reporting from Global News.According to the report, the exact details of the announcement are still being finalized, but discussions are expected to focus on the proposed British Columbia coast oil pipeline and related negotiations surrounding the industrial carbon tax and carbon capture infrastructure.The expected announcement follows a high-profile meeting between Smith and Carney in Ottawa last Friday, where the Alberta premier signalled growing optimism after weeks of tensions over unresolved parts of the agreement.Before the meeting, Smith warned that Albertans were becoming frustrated by delays.“I know industry is getting a bit impatient. Albertans are getting a little bit impatient,” Smith said in Ottawa last week ahead of the talks.Smith later told reporters she felt significantly more optimistic following the meeting with Carney.“Today Prime Minister Mark Carney and I made significant progress towards reaching an agreement on a West Coast pipeline and carbon pricing,” Smith said Friday..She added that she was now “much more confident” an agreement could be completed before Alberta formally submits its pipeline proposal to Ottawa’s Major Projects Office next month.The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Alberta and Ottawa was first signed last November and has been described by Carney as a “grand bargain” designed to increase oil production while pairing it with emissions reductions through a major carbon capture and storage initiative linked to the Pathways Alliance oil sands project.One of the major unresolved issues has been Alberta’s commitment to raise its industrial carbon tax to a minimum of $130 per tonne, alongside negotiations involving Ottawa, Alberta and energy companies connected to the carbon capture project.According to the Globe and Mail, Carney is expected to present an updated plan at a Wednesday cabinet meeting, according to two government sources close to the matter.
