Announced in 2006, the Northern Gateway project would have built twin pipelines between Bruderheim, Alta. and a marine terminal at Kitimat, B.C.
One pipeline would export 525,000 barrels per day of heavy oil from Alberta to tidewater markets. The other would import 193,000 barrels per day of condensate to Alberta to dilute heavy oil for pipeline transportation.
The project would have generated significant economic benefits across Canada.
The following projections are drawn from the report Public Interest Benefits of the Northern Gateway Project (Wright Mansell Research Ltd., July 2012), which was submitted as reply evidence during the regulatory process.
Financial figures have been adjusted to 2025 dollars using the Bank of Canada’s Inflation Calculator, with $1.00 in 2012 equivalent to $1.34 in 2025.
Total Government Revenue by Region
Between 2019 and 2048, a period encompassing both construction and operations, the Northern Gateway project was projected to generate the following total government revenues by region (direct, indirect and induced):
British Columbia
Provincial government revenue: $11.5 billion
Federal government revenue: $8.9 billion
Total: $20.4 billion
Alberta
Provincial government revenue: $49.4 billion
Federal government revenue: $41.5 billion
Total: $90.9 billion
Ontario
Provincial government revenue: $1.7 billion
Federal government revenue: $2.7 billion
Total: $4.4 billion
Quebec
Provincial government revenue: $746 million
Federal government revenue: $541 million
Total: $1.29 billion
Saskatchewan
Provincial government revenue: $6.9 billion
Federal government revenue: $4.4 billion
Total: $11.3 billion
Other
Provincial government revenue: $1.9 billion
Federal government revenue: $1.4 billion
Total: $3.3 billion
Canada
Provincial government revenue: $72.1 billion
Federal government revenue: $59.4 billion
Total: $131.7 billion
Annual Government Revenue by Region
Over the period 2019 and 2048, the Northern Gateway project was projected to generate the following annual government revenues by region (direct, indirect and induced):
British Columbia
Provincial government revenue: $340 million
Federal government revenue: $261 million
Total: $601 million per year
Alberta
Provincial government revenue: $1.5 billion
Federal government revenue: $1.2 billion
Total: $2.7 billion per year
Ontario
Provincial government revenue: $51 million
Federal government revenue: $79 million
Total: $130 million per year
Quebec
Provincial government revenue: $21 million
Federal government revenue: $16 million
Total: $37 million per year
Saskatchewan
Provincial government revenue: $204 million
Federal government revenue: $129 million
Total: $333 million per year
Other
Provincial government revenue: $58 million
Federal government revenue: $40 million
Total: $98 million per year
Canada
Provincial government revenue: $2.1 billion
Federal government revenue: $1.7 billion
Total: $3.8 billion per year
Employment by Region
Over the period 2019 to 2048, the Northern Gateway Pipeline was projected to generate the following direct, indirect and induced full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs by region:
British Columbia
Annual average: 7,736
Total over the period: 224,344
Alberta
Annual average: 11,798
Total over the period: 342,142
Ontario
Annual average: 3,061
Total over the period: 88,769
Quebec
Annual average: 1,003
Total over the period: 29,087
Saskatchewan
Annual average: 2,127
Total over the period: 61,683
Other
Annual average: 953
Total over the period: 27,637
Canada
Annual average: 26,678
Total over the period: 773,662
The unaltered reproduction of this content is free of charge with attribution to the Alberta Energy Centre.
