What specific environmental concessions did the Canada-Alberta energy deal include to secure Enbridge’s potential support for a new west coast oil pipeline?

The Canada-Alberta pact included a carbon tax that will rise slowly over time and a scaled-back version of a greenhouse gas capture and underground storage project — both of which were conditions Prime Minister Mark Carney had set for federal support of the pipeline. These less stringent environmental rules, compared to earlier federal proposals, formed the regulatory compromise that led Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel to say the company 'definitely would consider' backing the new pipeline.

Why did Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel shift from saying 'I wouldn’t say a hard no' in March to expressing openness to supporting the pipeline after the Canada-Alberta deal?

Ebel’s shift reflects a change in the regulatory environment under Prime Minister Carney, which made the project more viable; he explicitly called the accord 'a big step forward for Canada' and 'a page-flip', noting that Enbridge’s previous decade-old proposal had failed because it was 'lit on fire by government agencies', and that new infrastructure depends on how oil producers respond to the newly agreed-upon terms.

Enbridge Warms Up to New Canada Oil Pipeline After Carbon Compromise

May 15, 2026

Enbridge considers backing a new Canadian west coast oil pipeline following a federal-provincial carbon compromise. The deal reduces regulatory hurdles, enabling potential construction of a 1 million barrel/day conduit to supply Asian markets.

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