We’re barely a week left in Alberta’s deadline to submit a plan for an oil pipeline to B.C.’s coast, Premier David Eby says he’s still not part of any talks.

Eby told reporters he basically doesn’t know what’s going with Alberta’s bid.

“I know Alberta is working closely with the federal government on their proposal; we are not at the table,” he said Friday.

“We’ll see what they bring forward. I can tell you with certainty that the idea of running a pipeline through to the north coast will only jeopardize actual real major projects that British Columbia has as well.”

How is it possible B.C. isn’t at “the table” after so many months of national pipeline discussions, especially with Prime Minister Mark Carney in town Thursday to meet with the premier and make a major housing announcement?

Has B.C. asked to be at “the table”? Is there still some way to get a seat there before all the details are settled?

The premier danced around those questions.

“Well, just like Alberta, we’re at the table with the federal government, we’re at the table on the projects that are going to deliver for British Columbians,” he said.

So B.C. is at “the table” with Ottawa—just its own table, with tiny little chairs, over in the corner, far away from the real action?

That seems implausible at this point. Carney is not a fool. He has 19 Liberal MPs in B.C., who will face severe voter backlash if the province is shut out.

Plus, Carney has said repeatedly that B.C. needs to see substantial benefit from any Alberta proposal to the coast. The question has always been: What kind of benefit does B.C. want and why won’t the provincial government state its demands publicly?

Eby’s answer on Friday perhaps offered some hints.

He said he “discussed critical infrastructure projects for British Columbia like the Massey Tunnel, like the North Coast Transmission Line that’s going to enable electrification of the entire northwest and reduce carbon pollution while improving mine operating economics and bring more of these projects forward” with Carney.

Both of those seem likely areas where B.C. expects federal cash.

The $6 billion North Coast Transmission Line, to run from Prince George to Terrace, is an easy one for Ottawa to back, given Carney has already put it on his major projects list and touted how it can help unlock the kind of critical mineral mining projects the country needs.

The Massey tunnel, though, is another matter. The project is a mess. B.C. fired the design-build companies last week, and the previous $4 billion budget is now rumoured to have almost tripled, though B.C. denies this.

Does Ottawa want to wade into that kind of gong show? If it does, you can bet it’s going to cap its contribution to avoid being on the hook for any overruns caused by the BC NDP government’s chronic slow-playing and mismanagement of the project.

What else could B.C. expect for a pipeline?

Presumably, money. When the province was forced to accept the twinning of the Trans Mountain pipeline, it received around $1 billion over 20 years, plus more if the pipeline operates at full capacity. Some sort of per-barrel levy, or lump sum cash contribution, from a new Alberta pipeline must be an ask of the B.C. government, even if the premier won’t say it publicly.

If Eby can take that new cash and earmark it for improvements for specific provincial programs and services, he can help mitigate criticism of the risk of the project in British Columbia as well.

B.C. will undoubtedly also demand a southern route for the Alberta project to avoid any northern tanker ban issues. That would dovetail with Ottawa dredging Burrard Inlet to allow for heavier tankers.

And if the province was smart, at the same time, it would demand the feds dredge the silt around the Fraser River to fix the long-standing impact on float homes and fisheries in Delta and Richmond as well.

There’s a lot B.C. could be asking for from Ottawa. If it was at the table. Which it must be, in some way. Even if the premier continues to claim inexplicably that he isn’t.

Rob Shaw has spent more than 18 years covering B.C. politics, now reporting for CHEK News and writing for BIV. He hosts the weekly show Political Capital and has a NEW daily podcast, Political Capital Daily.

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