B.C. Premier David Eby refused to back a new oil pipeline through his province, stating he won't support it in the immediate future.

"It's not my job to come in and tell Premier Ford that it's extremely unlikely that there will be a tunnel built under the 401. It's not my job to come in and tell Premier Smith that her vision for a north coast pipeline is many, many years off and there's no proponent," he said.

Alberta and Ontario advocate for a northwest coast oil pipeline for its significant positive impact on Canada's GDP and Indigenous economic reconciliation, asserting it's in the national interest.

Eby instead vowed to focus on safeguarding British Columbia's interests by promoting "shovel-ready" projects. "My priority is to get B.C. electricity to as many places as possible to help decarbonize our economy."

According to Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean, Premier Eby "is on the record as saying that he will respect the Prime Minister's and Canadians' desire to build nation-building projects."

When asked if he would revive and fast-track Northern Gateway, Premier Eby appeared coy and deflected at a prior news conference.

"The discussion at the table and reflected in the communique was focused on points of agreement, and those points of agreement are that we need an economic corridor that accesses the ports in the northwest of British Columbia and the ports on Hudson's Bay," Eby said May 22 at the Western Premiers' Conference

Trade uncertainty involving U.S. tariffs has intensified the debate around pipelines. Oil, Canada's top export, is primarily shipped to the United States.

Enbridge, which advocated Northern Gateway, states that any new pipeline project necessitates careful consideration and significant legislative changes at both the provincial and federal levels. The company requires a clear, supportive framework before potentially undertaking such a project.

Premier Danielle Smith expects Eby and Carney to resolve issues on a second pipeline. "We're either going to be an energy superpower on all fronts, or we're not."

The head of Trans Mountain Corp. believes a new pipeline for landlocked crude will be built within the next ten years, though federal support for conventional pipelines is not unanimous.

Meanwhile, Eby has pointed to the existing, publicly-owned TMX pipeline that tripled its capacity for crude oil transport from Alberta. He also reaffirmed the province's stance against lifting the oil tanker ban on its northern coast.

Premier Smith has repeatedly pushed for major infrastructure projects like the Northern Gateway and Energy East pipelines to expand Canada's resource exports, while Premier Eby remains cautious about increased tanker traffic despite evidence of high TMX usage.

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau cancelled Northern Gateway in late 2016, following his moratorium on crude oil tanker traffic. The pipeline was intended to transport Alberta oil to a B.C. marine terminal for tanker export.