B.C. NDP, Coastal First Nations slam pipeline deal between Ottawa and Alberta

B.C.’s governing party and coastal First Nations have come out firing against the new agreement between Ottawa and Alberta that paves the way for one or more bitumen pipelines from the oilsands to B.C.’s north coast.

Premier David Eby has spent the past weeks and months arguing that such a pipeline project is dead in the water since there is no private sector proponent. Eby also noted that the last time Alberta tried to get one built through B.C., the federal government had to buy it and spend $19 billion of taxpayer dollars to get it completed, as the cost estimate soared to $34 billion from $7.4 billion.

He has also argued that such a pipeline would put projects such as the North Coast hydro transmission line and Ksi Lisims LNG at risk by threatening the support of First Nations.

Eby’