By Cameron Davies, leader of the Republican Party of Alberta
Canada’s west coast oil tanker ban, formalized through Bill C-48 in 2019, is a masterclass in self-sabotage.
The Oil Tanker Moratorium Act prohibits tankers carrying over 12,500 tonnes of crude or oil from loading or unloading along British Columbia’s northern coast, from northern Vancouver Island to Alaska.
The formal moratorium zone begins roughly at the northern tip of Vancouver Island (north of 50°53′ N) but does not include the entire island’s coast. It primarily covers the Hecate Strait, Dixon Entrance, and Queen Charlotte Sound areas.
Even with TMX operating, the tanker ban strangles Alberta’s oil exports, forcing reliance on pipelines to the U.S. Gulf Coast or inefficient and dangerous rail transport. Meanwhile, U.S. tankers freely ply the same waters, hauling millions of barrels from Alaska’s North Slope to refineries in Puget Sound and California.
In 2023, approximately 600 U.S. tanker voyages moved 80 million barrels of crude, navigating close to Canada’s west coast, under a 1970s agreement keeping them 150 kilometres from sensitive areas when feasible.
The ban’s history began in the 1970s, sparked by environmental fears after the Trans-Alaska Pipeline’s completion. In 1971, BC’s legislature unanimously opposed tanker traffic; Ottawa followed in 1972, urging safer U.S. routes.
Decades of debate, including the 1970s West Coast Oil Ports inquiry, culminated in C-48, driven by green lobbies prioritizing hypothetical risks over economic gains.
The result? Canada sacrifices access to Asian markets, inflating transport costs per barrel, while U.S. tankers capitalize on global demand.
Canada’s economic lag feels almost intentional. Carbon taxes, endless political debates on projects like Northern Gateway, and the tanker ban limit our energy sector, while allies like Norway balance resource extraction and environment.
Repealing C-48 would unlock our potential, aligning with global energy needs. Instead, we watch U.S. tankers sail past, reaping profits we’ve legislated away in a baffling act of self harm.