Alberta expected to give update on proposed West Coast pipeline

Alberta is set to make a major announcement on Thursday with new details about its proposed West Coast oil pipeline, though key parts of the project are still unresolved. The province has said it will share more information about its submission to the federal major projects office. Officials and industry observers are still waiting to learn who would build the line, how it would be financed, whether shippers are committed, and which route it would follow. Possible routes include several through northern British Columbia and one southern option toward the Vancouver area. Some experts say the southern route could face fewer political obstacles, while opposition has been stronger to northern paths because of the tanker ban on B.C.'s north coast. The project also remains tied to the Pathways carbon capture and storage plan, which Ottawa has linked to any federal support for a new pipeline. No private proponent has yet stepped forward, and analysts say that may not happen until the project advances further in the federal review process.