"I know that Danielle's priority is to get heavy oil to tidewater, she is very unambiguous about that," Eby told reporters. "My priority is to get B.C. electricity to as many places as possible to help decarbonize and to drive our economy in British Columbia."

When asked about his position on lifting the oil tanker ban off the B.C. coast, Eby said conversations about the revival of the Northern Gateway pipeline should wait until the Trans Mountain pipeline is operating at full capacity, "rather than opening up the pristine north coast to tanker traffic."

Pipeline development has received growing attention in recent months amid U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, as Alberta has limited paths to export its oil and gas, having to sell its energy products to the United States at a discount.

Among those demands were lifting the oil tanker ban and repealing the Impact Assessment Act, which she says has effectively halted pipeline projects.

At the May 22 press conference, Smith said that in addition to building pipelines, expanding export markets for other products is also a priority for Alberta, adding she was encouraged by the willingness of Western premiers to collaborate on areas of common interest.