The Pathways carbon capture project is being sold by the federal government as a climate solution. In reality, it is an expensive, risky and deeply flawed plan to keep the oil sands producing for decades to come while asking Canadians to foot the bill. 

There are no two ways about it: Pathways CCS is BS (Bunk Science). 

The Pathways project was already a bad deal when it was estimated to cost $16.5 billion. The latest estimates now suggest that it will cost at least $20 billion, without considering the day-to-day operating costs. At the same time, the promised emissions reductions from this project have been quietly shrinking – from an original target of 10-12 MT by 2030 to now a measly 6 MT by 2035. By contrast, emissions from the oil sands were 91 MT in 2024. 

This is not a climate plan. This is yet another permission slip for the oil and gas industry to pollute, signed off by Prime Minister Carney. The Pathways CCS project is the Prime Minister’s thinly veiled attempt at greenwashing a new million barrel a day bitumen pipeline that is unequivocally a carbon bomb. 

The oil sands remain one of Canada’s largest sources of carbon pollution. Instead of requiring these companies to clean up their mess, the federal government has recently gutted one of the last remaining climate policies – the industrial carbon price – and is now preparing to hand billions in public money for a project that won’t make any meaningful progress in reducing oil sands emissions. Certainly not when it is tied to a new bitumen pipeline to the west coast. 

Even if – and that is a big IF since many carbon capture projects fail to achieve their targets –  the Pathways CCS project works exactly as promised, it would only capture a small portion of emissions from the oil production process. It will do absolutely nothing for the vast majority of emissions that are released when the oil is exported and used. 

This is the core purpose of carbon capture and storage for oil companies: it allows the industry to claim they are enacting climate action when in reality all they are doing is expanding production and driving the climate crisis. 

Pathways CCS also presents very real risks for nearby communities. This project would require a massive CO2 pipeline and underground storage network through rural Alberta. Landowners, Indigenous communities and local residents have raised serious concerns about environmental safety, water and land rights. 

Meanwhile, the companies behind this project, the Oil Sands Alliance, are some of the wealthiest companies in the country. They have made enormous profits while Canadians continue to struggle with rising costs associated with climate change, and more frequent and intense climate disasters. If the Oil Sands Alliance truly believed this in this project, why would they not pay for it themselves? They can definitely afford to. 

Well, recent statements from oil companies and their allies seem to suggest that they themselves are souring on the idea behind the Pathways CCS project. 

So, now Canadians find themselves in a situation where our limited public dollars will be used to finance a risky and ineffective project that is being opposed by rural Albertans, Indigenous Peoples and the oil sands industry. Why? Well, because Prime Minister Mark Carney believes it will help him greenwash his new pipeline and achieve the mythical “decarbonized oil.” 

Let’s be clear on a few things: Pathways CCS is not a nation-building project. There is no such thing as “decarbonized oil” – after all, you can’t decarbonize hydrocarbons. The Oil Sands Alliance doesn’t need public dollars as they are set to make nearly $100 billion in profits this year. Prime Minister Mark Carney needs to stand up for Canadians rather than prioritizing the continued profits of the oil industry. 

CCS is BS (Bunk Science) and Canadians should not have to pay for this risky and ineffective technology.