MOU on a Pipeline to Nowhere: Sierra Club Canada Responds and is Available for Comment

Media Statement: For immediate release November 19th, 2025

Sierra Club Canada is responding to news in the Globe and Mail that the Federal Government and Government of Alberta may be close to deal that includes oil pipeline to B.C. coast. We are also available for comment on further developments in this story.

The organization points out that without a private sector backer this amounts to an MOU on a theoretical pipeline to nowhere.

The Club points out that even if built such a pipeline would have no market since oil and gas demand under any reasonable scenario does not necessitate new oil and gas infrastructure being built. The business case for LNG is non-existent let alone oil which has even worse economics (1). They also point out that oil companies such as Enbridge currently only seem interested in ‘strengthening ties’ with the United States not with diversifying to new markets (2),

“This MOU as reported appears to be cover, not for the build out of a pipeline West but for the continued build out of oil infrastructure to the south that deepens our dependency on the United States,” says Conor Curtis, Head of Communications at Sierra Club Canada. “If we sacrifice climate policies – like the emissions cap and anti-greenwashing laws – as part of this MOU we are actually setting back our ability to transition to renewables and thus setting Canada back in terms of real diversification and in the race to control the renewable future of energy.”

“What we actually need are MOUs and regional integration for sharing renewable energy across our country, not this dangerous investment in political capital in pipelines that will divide Canadians, hurt coastal communities and ocean life, and destroy our chances of bringing down climate pollution, ” says Gretchen Fitzgerald, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada

Sierra Club Canada also points out that:

  • In March 2025 polling showed ​​65% of Canadians want renewables instead of oil & gas development (Léger): https://davidsuzuki.org/press/majority-canadians-support-climate-action-renewable-energy-ahead-federal-election
  • And Abacus Data polling in June 2025 confirms:72% of Albertans wish to maintain or increase federal climate action and action to transition the country to clean energy.

    67% of Canadians now prefer renewables and clean energy generally to oil and gas development (it’s 77% in BC): https://cleanenergycanada.org/poll-two-thirds-of-canadians-favour-developing-clean-energy-over-fossil-fuels-while-85-wish-to-maintain-or-increase-federal-climate-action/

  • As of June 2025 fewer than 1 in 5 Canadians want their tax dollars going to largely foreign-owned companies to build more LNG projects (Léger): https://cape.ca/press_release/fewer-than-2-in-10-canadians-want-their-tax-dollars-going-to-largely-foreign-owned-companies-to-build-more-lng-projects

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Sources:

(1) https://www.sierraclub.ca/lng-national-interest-canada/ (with links to further materials on both oil and gas demand)

(2) https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/enbridge-approves-14-billion-project-boost-canadian-oil-flows-us-refiners-2025-11-14/

For more information or interviews, please contact: Media@sierraclub.ca

MOU as reported appears to be cover, not for the build out of a pipeline West but for the continued build out of oil infrastructure to the south that deepens our dependency on the United States