Smith Negotiates Carbon Pricing with Carney

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Alberta premier Danielle Smith just dropped word that they're blowing past the April 1st deadline on two big agreements tied to her energy packed with.

Ottawa. This stems from a November memo laying out steps for a new vitamin pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia tidewater.

They've nailed agreements in principle on methane emissions and project reviews but the carbon pricing setup and a memo with the oil sands alliance.

Are still hanging. The hang ups mainly on how fast Alberta's industrial carbon price climbs to $130 per ton. Smith says she's hashing up the timeline with Prime Minister Mark Carney pushing back on rushing it too quick.

She points to places like the United States with no carbon pricing, calling them hotter spots for investment right now. Smith ain't ditching carbon pricing all together.

She just doesn't want to spiking so hard. It chases cash away when Alberta's trying to reel it in.

The oil sands alliance that's five major oil and gas players has been plotting a huge carbon capture project in CO2 pipeline for years.

Carney's made it clear that's a must for any new bitumen line to move forward.

Earlier this week Smith told reporters they've made solid headway on the alliance memo but it waits on the carbon deal.

She met Carney Monday and they're both filling the heat to wrap the carbon pricing soon maybe in days with the alliance piece done by months end.

Meanwhile the real clock ticks toward July 1st when Alberta's got to file the pipeline app with Ottawa's office.

It's messy negotiations but everyone's locked in to build a framework that sticks.