Let Alberta Decide: Pipeline Announcement Shows Canada Does Not Work for Alberta

CALGARY, AB, July 3, 2026 /CNW/ - Let Alberta Decide says the pipeline announcement by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith is not the victory Albertans are being told it is.

Keith Wilson, K.C., co-lead of Let Alberta Decide, said Albertans support pipelines and expanded access to world markets, but not at any cost.

"A pipeline is not a victory if Ottawa makes the product too expensive to produce and leaves taxpayers holding the bill," said Wilson.

Wilson said the announcement proves the problem with confederation. It has taken more than a year of high-level negotiations, federal-provincial bargaining, B.C. compensation demands, carbon capture conditions, and major taxpayer commitments just to get Alberta to an uncertain starting point.

"That is not proof Canada works for Alberta," Wilson said.

The Canada–B.C. agreement confirms any new pipeline is dependent on the Pathways carbon capture project and consultation obligations. It also confirms the North Coast tanker ban remains, and that B.C. is seeking to force Alberta to pay toll charges to let Alberta ship through its province.

"Albertans are being asked to celebrate a pipeline that may never be built, to a coast where the tanker ban remains, through a province that says it does not seek the project, under conditions that make Alberta less competitive," Wilson said.

Let Alberta Decide pointed to the Fraser Institute report by economist Jack Mintz, which found that carbon policies increase the marginal cost of Alberta oil, gas, and power production, making Alberta less competitive as oil pricing tightens.

"A pipeline does not create new barrels," Wilson said. "Companies invest when production is competitive. If Ottawa's Net Zero framework makes Alberta oil, gas, and especially electricity less competitive, this announcement becomes a political talking point, not an economic solution."

Tanya Clemens, co-lead of Let Alberta Decide, said Alberta families will pay the price.

"As a mother, farmer, and wife, I ask: who is going to pay for all of this?" said Clemens. "Higher production costs, higher power costs, carbon capture subsidies, B.C. compensation, and federal borrowing make life less affordable and push the bill onto our children and grandchildren."

"Albertans deserve more than conditional permission from Ottawa," Wilson added. "We deserve fairness through control over our resources and economic future. Alberta's done waiting."

SOURCE Let Alberta Decide

Keith Wilson, 780-991-5050, Tanay Clemens, 403-809-0531