DOB Energy
Carney And Eby Agree To Work Together On Major Projects Goals
By Cathryn Atkinson May 21, 2026
VANCOUVER - Prime Minister Mark Carney and British Columbia Premier David Eby have agreed to work together on the province’s economic goals within the federal government’s major projects fast-tracking plans.
The two met in Vancouver on Wednesday, after Carney spoke at a breakfast with 700 business leaders hosted by the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, where he said three conditions would need to be met for any pipeline going through B.C.:
The construction of the Pathways CCUS project;
Ensuring B.C. receives “substantial economic and financial benefits” from projects that include or impact the province; and
Consultations with Indigenous communities, with projects providing economic benefits and co-ownership opportunities.
Carney said one of the benefits of meeting was, “that it develops a shared understanding, a recognition of what needs to be done, an understanding of why this is the right thing to do, [and] a commitment that goes beyond what's written on the page.”
He was also, however, willing to deliver a hardball message.
“If things get stalled here, we're going to be spending more time elsewhere in the country because we need to move forward,” Carney told Bridgette Anderson, president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, in a Q&A session.
“I would say that, without overstating it, there's a lot more that needs to be done, but discussions are much more constructive than they are portrayed, and I think part of the reason why that is the case is our people are looking for us to find solutions.”
The meeting comes less than a week after Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed an energy agreement that includes the possibility of a pipeline to B.C.’s West Coast.
Eby responded to the signing by saying Ottawa had rewarded Alberta’s “bad behavior,” with projects being prioritized because of the province’s separatist movement.
After Carney and Eby’s meeting, both men used social media to position themselves.
Carney was first to post a statement, saying the meeting with Eby was to “outline how a new agreement will focus our governments’ work to deliver major projects and real results for this province.”
It went on: “We’re going to build infrastructure faster — sustainably and responsibly — to drive the clean energy transition and create more opportunity and prosperity for British Columbians and all Canadians.”
Eby’s response two hours later was to thank Carney “for working with us on a plan to deliver for the people of B.C. and Canada,” attached to a clip of a pre-meeting statement he made to media, where he said B.C. had worked for years to develop projects to deliver resources the world needs.
“There's no doubt in my mind that the prime minister is a friend to British Columbia, and an important part of friendship is telling each other the truth,” Eby said in the clip.
“The [work] we're doing of developing our economy has to go hand in hand with environmental protection for the next generation, including the North Coast tanker ban,” Eby said.