By: David V. Wright
Matters Commented On: Order in Council PC 2026-0925 (2026) and Explanatory Note for Pacific Link Pipeline Project; Building Canada Act, SC 2025, c 2, s 4
On October 1st, more than one year after the new Building Canada Act (BCA) SC 2025, c 2, s 4 came into force, the first Project of National Interest (PONI) was added to Schedule 1. That means the proposed West Coast Oil Pipeline, now being called “Pacific Link”, will proceed through the fast-tracking review and approvals process established under the BCA. This post draws on a previous post and works through a series of questions to explain the legal process ahead for Pacific Link Pipeline (PLP). It concludes with short commentary on the rationale provided by the government, the broader context, and hurdles ahead.