By Melissa Macintosh-Young, Staff Reporter
Bruderheim has been identified as the starting point for a proposed new pipeline that would transport Alberta bitumen to British Columbia’s southwest coast, a project that could bring significant long-term economic opportunities to the region while expanding Canada’s oil export capacity.
“It caught us by surprise,” said Bruderheim Mayor Ron Ewasiuk. “We were in the regular council meeting, and then all of a sudden our name is plastered nationwide.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith jointly announced the preferred route this week, confirming the project has been submitted to Canada’s Major Projects Office for review.
If approved, the pipeline would stretch approximately 1,200 to 1,250 kilometres from a new receipt terminal in the Bruderheim area to a marine export terminal at Roberts Bank on British Columbia’s southwest coast.
The line would generally follow the existing Trans Mountain Pipeline corridor, reducing the need for new land disturbance while creating a new route to move more than one million barrels of Alberta bitumen each day to overseas markets, primarily in Asia.
Bruderheim would serve as the project’s collection point through the construction of a new receipt terminal, where crude oil from pipelines across Alberta would be gathered, measured, stored and pumped westward. The facility is expected to occupy between 50 and 60 hectares and include 15 storage tanks capable of holding approximately 6.5 million barrels of oil.
Mayor Ewasiuk said council was told of the possibility in a June presentation but he didn’t realize it was confirmed until the Thursday announcement.
Once the product reaches Roberts Bank, it would be stored in another 15-tank terminal before being loaded onto some of the world’s largest crude carriers. The marine facility would feature two tanker berths capable of handling vessels carrying up to 2.2 million barrels of oil per shipment.
The pipeline itself would be built using steel pipe up to 42 inches in diameter and would require approximately 11 electrically powered pump stations along the route to maintain the pressure needed to move oil across Alberta and British Columbia.
The project is being advanced through a partnership involving the Alberta government, Trans Mountain Corporation and Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corporation. Trans Mountain Corporation is wholly owned by the Government of Canada through the Canada Development Investment Corporation (CDEV), a federal Crown corporation. Ottawa purchased the pipeline and its expansion project in 2018 to ensure construction was completed, and the system now operates as a strategic national asset overseen by an independent board of directors.
Under the new proposal, the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta, through the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, would work alongside Pembina Pipeline Corporation to develop the project. Plans also include opportunities for future Indigenous equity ownership, allowing participating Indigenous communities to purchase an ownership stake in the infrastructure.
For Bruderheim, the project has the potential to generate substantial economic benefits. Construction would likely create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs while increasing demand for local contractors, trucking companies, equipment operators and skilled trades. Local businesses, including restaurants, hotels, fuel stations and retailers, could also benefit from an influx of workers during construction. Over the longer term, municipal leaders could see increased industrial investment and additional tax revenue to support roads, infrastructure and community services.
The announcement also signals growing cooperation between Alberta and British Columbia on energy development. Although British Columbia Premier David Eby has previously opposed new oil pipelines, the province has agreed to participate provided the project incorporates the Pathways Carbon Capture and Sequestration Project, fulfills legal consultation requirements with First Nations and includes a revenue-sharing agreement.
As part of the agreement, British Columbia would receive annual royalty payments, while the federal government has committed additional funding for coastal oil spill response and the creation of a new environmental liability and emergency response fund. Officials also confirmed the federal ban on oil tankers along British Columbia’s northern coast will remain unchanged.
Alongside the proposed new pipeline, Ottawa announced plans to increase the capacity of the existing Trans Mountain Pipeline from approximately 890,000 barrels per day to 1.19 million barrels per day through technical upgrades.
The proposed Bruderheim-to-Roberts Bank pipeline must still undergo environmental assessments, regulatory reviews, Indigenous consultations and final government approvals before construction can begin.
Read more in the July 8 edition of The Lamont Leader!
