Alberta and Ottawa Agreed on a Pipeline. No One Will Build It. | Risky Planner S2E21

Send us Fan Mail Alberta and Ottawa signed a memorandum of understanding on a west coast crude pipeline. No private proponent has stepped forward, no scope has been defined, and the two provinces the pipeline must cross have not agreed to it. Nate Habermeyer and Albert Brier break down why the MOU matters and why it does not yet constitute a project. They examine the two structural barriers blocking a private proponent: British Columbia's consistent opposition to crude pipeline construction through its territory, and the Indigenous consultation requirements no MOU can substitute for. They assess the Pathways Alliance carbon capture project, which Ottawa tied to pipeline support as a policy condition, and what its track record at commercial scale means for anyone treating that linkage as a formality. The episode closes on the pre-scope phase: why bringing the goal rather than the plan to Indigenous stakeholders is the only consultation approach with a different outcome on the other side. Topics covered: 00:00 Introduction and asbestos 01:35 Going west — Alberta and the MOU 03:07 The New York Times Canada letter 04:48 The Major Projects Office and Alberta's exclusion 05:32 Carbon capture: the Pathways Alliance track record 06:11 Alberta separatism and equalization payments 09:58 The MOU: what Alberta and Ottawa actually agreed to 11:21 Why a west coast pipeline makes economic sense 13:18 Why no private proponent has stepped up 14:31 Barrier one: British Columbia 16:47 Barrier two: Indigenous and First Nations consultation 18:21 What Ottawa's MOU actually put on Alberta's plate 20:15 The scope problem — what does this pipeline look like? 23:34 Danielle Smith's response and what it signals 23:50 What should happen next — the pre-scope window 26:23 Inverting the consultation model Read the companion blog post: https://dokainish.com/insights/infrastructure-project-management/alberta-pipeline-no-proponent/ Listener survey: https://forms.office.com/r/KFCi9aiENH Presented by Dokainish & Company www.dokainish.com The Risky Planner podcast delivers expert insights on project controls, capital project management, and strategic planning for today's complex business environment. Subscribe for regular episodes featuring industry leaders and practical advice.