U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order to advance the Keystone XL pipeline project is getting varied reactions. Here’s what key Canadian players are saying about the decision.

Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister

“In both the conversations I’ve had with President Trump now, Keystone XL came up as a topic and I reiterated my support for the project.

I’ve been on the record for many years supporting it because it leads to economic growth and good jobs for Albertans particularly now that we can demonstrate with the Pan-Canadian Framework on Climate Change, with the absolute cap on oil sands emissions, that the Alberta government brought in, we know we can get our resources to market more safely and responsibly while meeting our climate change goals.

As for the details of the negotiations between President Trump and his administration and TransCanada, I will allow those conversations to unfold in the coming weeks.”

Tom Mulcair, Leader of NDP

“It’s not clear why Justin Trudeau is pushing to revive a pipeline that will export Canadian jobs and that has never been properly reviewed.

You know, unlike successive Conservative and Liberal governments, the NDP will continue to stand up for Canadian jobs, the environment and the protection of First Nations rights.”

Mark Strahl, Conservative critic for natural resources

“Our previous Conservative Government supported the Keystone XL Pipeline and urged the former American administration to approve the American leg of this project.

While we are pleased with the Trump administration’s approval of this project, it does not reduce the need for new pipelines in Canada.

The Liberal Government should have supported the Northern Gateway Project and, going forward, must support the Energy East process.”



Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party

“I think we really need to look at all the pipeline projects and look at the cumulative impact on greenhouse gases.

You add these up together and you end up with a very expensive problem of stranded assets, pipelines that are a threat to our B.C. coast and at the same time more pipelines than bitumen being produced, with tremendous pressure for more bitumen to be produced with more greenhouse gases.

This is the key reason, by the way, that Barack Obama turned down the Keystone project was the environmental impact statement for Keystone said if you build a pipeline when the price for a barrel of oil is below $80 a barrel, you’re pushing for the production of more bitumen in an otherwise uneconomical climate for producing bitumen."

Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta

“This project is going to create good jobs here in Alberta and that’s my focus: support our workers, create good jobs and diversify our economy.

More energy workers at our rural hotels is a good thing. More equipment out in the field is a good thing. Busier restaurants and hardware stores across Alberta are all good things.

At the end of the day, it is about making sure that regular working families of our province all have access to good jobs.”

TransCanada, pipeline proponent

“We appreciate the President of the United States inviting us to re-apply for KXL.

We are currently preparing the application and intend to do so. KXL creates thousands of well-paying construction jobs and would generate tens of millions of dollars in annual property taxes to counties along the route as well as more than $3 billion to the U.S. GDP.

With best-in-class technology and construction techniques that protect waterways and other sensitive environmental resources, KXL represents the safest, most environmentally sound way to connect the American economy to an abundant energy resource.”

Patrick DeRochie, Environmental Defence

“The National Energy Board (NEB) evaluated KXL under a flawed process that lacks credibility. The federal government has acknowledged this and is undertaking a review of the energy regulator. Once reformed, the NEB must look at projects in a new light – including Keystone XL.

The evaluation of energy projects needs to include a credible climate test – to see if the project fits with Canada’s climate commitments. KXL was approved before Canada signed and ratified the Paris Climate Agreement and before the Pan-Canadian Framework on Climate Change was put in place.

There is no economic rationale to support the construction of yet another tar sands pipeline. Current tar sands pipeline capacity is underutilized and the price of oil is too low to justify new tar sands projects.”

Brad Wall, Saskatchewan Premier

“For Canada, it means we can move our oil – safe, secure Canadian oil – to our biggest customer and to tidewater. It will help lower the price differential Canada receives for its oil – that differential costs our governments and producers hundreds of millions of dollars each year. It will also help free up capacity on our railways for moving other products.

For Saskatchewan, there will be about 2,200 jobs building the 530 kilometers of Keystone XL in Alberta and Saskatchewan at a cost of approximately $1.2 billion. Keystone XL is projected to result in an additional $3.5 million in additional property tax revenues in Alberta per year and $1.3 million in Saskatchewan.

This is also good news for Evraz in Regina. The company participated in the Keystone project up to the point that it was shut down by the Obama Administration and are optimistic their company will continue to be involved in the project now that it has been approved to go forward.”

Mike Hudema, Greenpeace Canada

“People on both sides of the border will be there to stand with Indigenous nations, and all those that believe in Indigenous reconciliation and a climate safe future to ensure these pipelines don’t make it in the ground.

The question for Canadians is: will the Prime Minister continue to align himself with a climate denying Trump administration, or will he stand with the people and with science and start living up to his own commitments to the climate and Indigenous rights?

The Prime Minister can’t keep saying he will lead on climate while building three new tar sands pipelines. Alternative facts may work in the U.S. administration but they shouldn’t be tolerated here.”

Naheed Nenshi, Calgary mayor

“We have the highest unemployment rate of any major city in Canada. One of the best ways for us to approach that is to continue to build these projects.

These projects create good, decent jobs here in Calgary, as well as in the field and they are a great way to help our economy recover.

It is important for Canadian energy to have access to global markets.”