The Canada Energy Regulator has approved a settlement between Trans Mountain Corp. and the companies that pay to transport oil through the pipeline connecting Alberta and British Columbia.
A commission of the regulator determined that the tolls agreed upon by Trans Mountain and its shippers are “just and reasonable,” formally clearing the way for the new arrangement.
Under the decision, Trans Mountain will be able to contract up to 90 per cent of the pipeline’s capacity, up from the previous limit of 80 per cent.
The settlement was announced by Trans Mountain in July after 18 months of negotiations with the companies shipping oil through the system.
The federal Crown corporation operates the 1,180-kilometre pipeline, which extends from Edmonton to a marine terminal in Burnaby, B.C. From there, crude oil is loaded onto tankers for transport across the Pacific.
Trans Mountain’s major expansion project, designed to triple the pipeline’s capacity to 890,000 barrels per day, entered service in 2024.
The company is also preparing for another increase in capacity, with plans to expand the system to 1.19 million barrels per day by late 2028.
