Canada’s Asian pivot faces hurdles

The federal government is working with Alberta to improve the country’s access to Asian markets and reduce dependence on the US, but there are challenges to their plans

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in November outlining key energy initiatives, including a new pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific. The project is designed to reduce dependence on the US by increasing access to Asian growth markets and aims to narrow heavy crude price differentials against global benchmarks. Opponents warn the plan faces significant challenges, including the tanker moratorium on British Columbia’s northern coast, Indigenous consent requirements and complex regulatory hurdles. In addition to the pipeline, the MOU also covers a large-scale carbon capture venture and the development of nuclear pow