Pacific Link Pipeline, now referred to in federal communications as Pacific Link, has been added to Schedule 1 of Canada’s Building Canada Act as a project of national interest.
The order was made on October 1, 2026, and published in the Canada Gazette on October 10, 2026. The Gazette order lists the project under the name “West Coast Oil Pipeline,” while a federal Natural Resources Canada announcement refers to it as Pacific Link.
The Pacific Link Pipeline listing formally adds the proposed interprovincial pipeline to the federal legislation’s national interest project list.
The proposed pipeline would transport approximately one million barrels of Canadian crude oil per day from Bruderheim, Alberta, to a deepwater port near Delta, British Columbia.
The oil would then be transferred to marine vessels for export to global markets.
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What The Pacific Link Pipeline Listing Does
The Pacific Link Pipeline listing does not mean that construction has started or that the final route has been approved.
However, it has a legal effect beyond simply identifying the project as a government priority. Under the Building Canada Act, listing a project provides upfront, conditional federal approval for applicable authorizations covered by the Act, subject to the regulatory review, consultation and conditions processes required by the legislation.
The framework shifts the focus of federal review from whether the project should proceed to how it should proceed, including the development of technical, environmental and other conditions.
The Major Projects Office says the project remains in the early stages of development. The precise route and final project features are expected to be developed during later stages, with input from Indigenous communities, landowners, governments and other stakeholders.
The federal government says applicable federal permits and authorizations can be consolidated through a single conditions document. The conditions document is not the same as a construction start authorization, and listing does not mean that every project-level requirement has already been completed.
Proposed Route And Main Components
The Pacific Link Pipeline would begin at a receipt tank terminal in Bruderheim, approximately 50 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. At that facility, crude oil would be received, measured, stored and pumped into the pipeline.
The proposed pipeline could be up to approximately 1,250 kilometres long.
The project description also includes power interconnection, transmission and possible generation infrastructure.
Approximately 11 pump stations would be used to maintain the required flow rate and pressure over the long-distance route.
At the British Columbia end, the project would include a delivery tank terminal and an offshore marine loading facility.
The marine facility would be designed to accommodate Very Large Crude Carrier vessels.
The federal project page says the corridor would largely align with disturbed land and existing infrastructure, including the existing Trans Mountain pipeline system.
Planning for the project remains subject to further development and engagement concerning the final route and project features.
Ownership Group And Indigenous Participation
Trans Mountain Corporation, the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission and Pembina Pipeline Corporation are expected to form and lead a new jointly owned company for the project.
The ownership structure for the project is expected to give Pembina an economic interest during construction of 10 percent, with an opportunity for up to an additional 10 percent after the project enters commercial operation.
Trans Mountain Corporation and the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission are expected to hold equal shares of the remaining interest.
The Canada Gazette order states that a minimum of 10 percent ownership interest will be offered for purchase to Indigenous peoples.
The Major Projects Office describes Indigenous equity participation as a continuing part of the project’s development. Federal information says consultations about Indigenous participation will continue as project-specific information becomes available through the regulatory review process.
Trans Mountain Corporation is expected to design, develop, permit, construct and operate the pipeline on behalf of the ownership group.
Why The Government Listed The Project
The federal government says the Pacific Link Pipeline could strengthen Canada’s export diversification and reduce reliance on a single major market.
The Canada Gazette’s explanatory note says the Governor in Council considered relevant factors, including the project’s potential benefits, impacts, costs and limitations, before determining that the project is in the national interest.
The government also cited Canada’s autonomy, resilience, security, economic prosperity and access to international markets.
The proposed capacity of approximately one million barrels per day would create additional export infrastructure for Canadian crude oil.
The project is intended to provide access to global markets, including potential customers in the Asia-Pacific region.
Federal documents also describe possible economic benefits from construction activity, upstream production, employment and improved market access.
The official Major Projects Office project page estimates that employment impacts from direct and indirect effects could peak at approximately 140,000 jobs during pipeline construction and related upstream development.
That figure is an official projection and should not be treated as a guaranteed number of permanent jobs. Employment is expected to be higher during construction than during later operating stages.
Environmental And Indigenous Rights Requirements Remain Relevant
The Building Canada Act framework does not remove Canada’s stated obligations to protect the environment or respect Aboriginal and treaty rights.
The order says the federal government considered potential impacts on marine and terrestrial environments and the possibility of mitigating those impacts.
The legislation also requires consultation with Indigenous peoples whose rights may be adversely affected by a project.
Federal guidance says that projects captured by modern treaty-based review requirements cannot receive a conditions document until the applicable review board has completed its assessment and a decision has been made.
The project is expected to require authorizations under laws including the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, the Fisheries Act, the Species at Risk Act, the Canada Marine Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. The exact list of required authorizations will be finalized as the project design develops.
The federal project page also says the proposed development would advance alongside the Pathways carbon capture and storage project.
What This Means For Canada’s Regulatory Process
The Building Canada Act was enacted on June 26, 2025, to create a consolidated federal framework for projects determined to be of vital interest to Canada.
For the Pacific Link Pipeline, the listing provides an early national-interest determination and conditional federal approval framework while further work continues on project conditions, environmental safeguards, technical information and consultation.
The Major Projects Office acts as a federal coordination point for projects under its mandate.
The Pacific Link Pipeline framework can bring multiple federal regulatory processes together under a single conditions document. The document is issued only after the applicable regulatory review and consultation requirements have been addressed.
The listing does not establish a construction start date, final project cost, final route or guaranteed completion date.
Those details are expected to be developed through subsequent design, consultation and regulatory work.
What This Means For Immigration And Workers
The Pacific Link Pipeline listing is not an immigration approval, work permit program or permanent residence pathway.
The order does not create special immigration eligibility for foreign workers, international graduates or prospective applicants.
Most foreign nationals need a work permit to work in Canada, although exemptions exist for specific situations. Depending on the job and the worker’s circumstances, a foreign national may need an employer-specific work permit or may qualify for an open work permit.
Employer-specific work permits generally require a qualifying job offer, and the employer may need a Labour Market Impact Assessment or another basis for an exemption. Workers may also need to meet occupational, licensing, admissibility and other requirements.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents generally do not need a work permit, but they may still need provincial, territorial or occupational licences for regulated work. Temporary residents must hold immigration status and work authorization that permits the proposed employment, unless a specific exemption applies.
The official announcement refers to potential employment and economic activity, but it does not announce a dedicated immigration stream, recruitment quota or project-specific work permit exemption.
People considering employment connected to the project should rely on official information from the employer, the relevant regulator and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada before making a work or immigration decision.
Next Steps For Pacific Link
The Pacific Link Pipeline is expected to move into further development under the Building Canada Act framework.
Key future steps for the project include refining the route, continuing consultation, developing technical information and identifying the federal authorizations and conditions required for construction and operation.
Indigenous participation, environmental safeguards and regulatory conditions are also expected to remain part of the project’s continuing review.
The project’s listing is a formal federal determination that the project is in the national interest, but it does not by itself provide all project-level details needed for construction.
Further official announcements will be required before the public can assess the project’s final schedule, cost, route and construction status.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Pacific Link Pipeline?
The Pacific Link Pipeline is a proposed interprovincial crude oil pipeline that would run from Bruderheim, Alberta, to a deepwater port near Delta, British Columbia, for export to international markets.
Was the Pacific Link Pipeline previously called the West Coast Oil Pipeline?
Yes. The Canada Gazette order identifies the project as the West Coast Oil Pipeline, while the federal Major Projects Office now refers to it as Pacific Link.
Does the listing mean construction has started?
No. The listing places the project under the Building Canada Act framework, but the route, design, regulatory requirements and construction schedule still require further development.
Does Pacific Link create a new Canadian immigration pathway?
No. The listing does not create a work permit, permanent residence stream or special immigration eligibility for foreign workers.
Fact-Checked: Checked against the Canada Gazette order dated October 1, 2026, the federal Major Projects Office project page and the current Building Canada Act text.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information and does not provide legal, regulatory or immigration advice.
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