KUUJJUAQ — Prime Minister Mark Carney says he will be in Alberta on Canada Day in the evening, just a day ahead of an expected announcement by the province related to its push for a new pipeline.

Speaking with reporters in Kuujjuaq, Que., today, Carney says he has been in close contact with Premier Danielle Smith.

The province has a July 1 deadline to make a proposal to the federal government’s new major projects office to fast-track approval of a new pipeline project.

Carney says it will still take months for the federal government to decide whether to send Alberta’s submission to the new government office.

The prime minister’s Canada Day visit also comes as Albertans face a fall referendum on whether the province should hold a second vote on leaving the federation.

Carney has called it a “real referendum” and compared it to Brexit in the U.K., adding that “leave” campaigns make unrealistic promises and refuse to acknowledge the pitfalls of separation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2026.

Canadian Press Staff, The Canadian Press