ProjectOilGoes mixed

Trans Mountain (TMX), existing system

The federally owned Trans Mountain oil pipeline from Alberta to the BC coast, with capacity of about 890,000 barrels a day since its expansion entered service in May 2024; most of its oil is loaded on tankers at Burnaby, and part goes to refineries in Washington State. It carried an average of 761,000 barrels a day in 2025, at 85% utilization (Canada Energy Regulator). A binding open season from 7 April to 2 June 2026 sought more long-term contracts, and on 22 September 2026 Ottawa offered Indigenous groups along the line a collective 15% equity stake financed by a low-cost government loan.

Status

In service

Direction

Mixed: Can go more than one way.

Capacity

890 kb/d

Where

Alberta / British Columbia

Needs new laws?

No: can proceed under existing rules

Owners

• Trans Mountain Corporation (federal Crown) (100%) as of 31 August 2018

  Department of Finance Canada, “Agreement Reached to Create and Protect Jobs, Build Trans Mountain Expansion Project (speech by Finance Minister Bill Morneau)” (external site), 29 May 2018. source record

Events

• about 28 September 2026Canada Energy Regulator approves the Trans Mountain toll settlement as 'just and reasonable'ActionRegulationCanada1 source
• 22 September 2026Ottawa offers Indigenous groups a collective 15% equity stake in Trans Mountain, to be financed by a low-cost government loanDocumentFinancingCanada1 source
• September 2026Indian Resource Council president says Ottawa's 15% Trans Mountain equity offer should be at least 50%StatementStatementCanada1 source
• 10 July 2026Tsleil-Waututh Nation files Federal Court judicial review of Burrard Inlet (Second Narrows) dredging that would allow more loaded Trans Mountain tankersActionCourt rulingBritish Columbia1 source
• 2 July 2026Carney and Eby sign the Canada–British Columbia Cooperative Prosperity Agreement in VancouverDocumentAgreementBritish Columbia6 sources
• 24 June 2026Canada Energy Regulator: Trans Mountain carried an average of 761,000 barrels a day in 2025, up 37% from 2024DocumentOtherCanada1 source
• 7 April 2026Trans Mountain holds a binding open season (7 April to 2 June 2026) to sign more long-term firm shipping contracts on its pipelineActionContractCanada4 sources
• 1 May 2024The Trans Mountain expansion enters commercial service, nearly tripling the pipeline's capacityActionOtherCanada1 source
• 4 February 2020Federal Court of Appeal upholds the second Trans Mountain approvalActionCourt rulingCanada1 source
• 16 January 2020Supreme Court of Canada dismisses BC's appeal on heavy-oil permit rules from the benchActionCourt rulingCanada2 sources
• 18 June 2019Federal cabinet approves the Trans Mountain expansion a second time, after renewed consultationActionPermitCanada2 sources
• 24 May 2019BC Court of Appeal finds the province's proposed heavy-oil permit rules beyond its authorityActionCourt rulingCanada / British Columbia1 source
• 30 August 2018Federal Court of Appeal quashes the Trans Mountain expansion approval over marine shipping and inadequate consultationActionCourt rulingCanada1 source
• 23 August 2018Supreme Court of Canada refuses Burnaby leave to appeal on its bylaws and Trans MountainActionCourt rulingCanada1 source
• 29 May 2018Ottawa agrees to buy Trans Mountain and its expansion project from Kinder Morgan for $4.5 billionActionOwnership changeCanada1 source
• 26 April 2018BC refers proposed heavy-oil permit rules to the BC Court of AppealActionCourt rulingCanada / British Columbia1 source
• 8 April 2018Kinder Morgan suspends non-essential spending on the Trans Mountain expansion, citing BC's oppositionActionInvestment decisionCanada1 source
• March 2018Federal Court of Appeal dismisses BC's application to appeal the NEB order on Burnaby bylawsActionCourt rulingCanada1 source
• 7 December 2017NEB orders that Trans Mountain need not comply with two sections of Burnaby bylawsActionRegulationCanada1 source
• 1 September 2017New BC government files its intervener argument against the federal Trans Mountain expansion approvalActionCourt rulingCanada / British Columbia1 source
• 6 April 2017BC and Trans Mountain sign a benefits agreement worth C$25-50 million a year for 20 yearsActionAgreementCanada / British Columbia2 sources
• March 2017BC Court of Appeal upholds the NEB's power to let Trans Mountain proceed despite Burnaby bylawsActionCourt rulingCanada / British Columbia1 source
• 11 January 2017BC grants Trans Mountain expansion an environmental certificate with 37 conditions and says its five conditions are metActionPermitCanada / British Columbia1 source