By Meclee - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20363087
CALGARY — U.S. President Donald Trump has approved a major new cross-border oil pipeline project aimed at moving Canadian crude deeper into the United States.
The proposed “Keystone Light” line would run roughly 1,050 kilometres from the Montana border to Wyoming and is expected to cost about US$2 billion. Construction is slated to begin in 2027, with completion targeted for late 2028 or early 2029.
The pipeline is initially expected to carry about 550,000 barrels per day, with potential to expand to more than one million barrels depending on future operations and capacity upgrades.
Supporters say the project would strengthen North American energy integration and provide additional export capacity for Canadian oil, which still relies heavily on the United States as its primary market.
More than 90 per cent of Canadian crude exports currently go south of the border, a concentration industry analysts say leaves producers vulnerable to shifts in U.S. policy and pricing.
The project is also expected to face opposition from environmental groups and some Indigenous communities, who have raised concerns about spill risks and potential impacts on land and water.
The approval comes as Canadian officials and industry continue exploring ways to diversify export markets, including potential pipeline projects to the country’s West Coast.
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