Pipelines to tidewater? What it really takes.
The headlines make it sound simple—just build more pipelines to the coast. But any of us who’ve worked in this space knows the truth: getting a major pipeline to tidewater in Canada is a complex, high-stakes, multi-year gauntlet. It’s not for the faint-of-heart.
It’s not about pushing pipe—it’s about navigating a moving target. Regulatory approvals shift. Public sentiment hardens. Political landscapes evolve. And if you aren’t building Indigenous partnerships on Indigenous terms, you aren’t building anything at all.
Here’s what it really takes to get a pipeline to the finish line:
✅ Regulatory Mastery
Multi-jurisdictional approvals. Policy shifts. Procedural games. You need precision and stamina to navigate moving goalposts.
✅ Indigenous Partnership on Indigenous Terms
It’s not consultation—it’s co-creation, consent, and Indigenous leadership at the table and on the cap table. Without it, your project is going nowhere.
✅ Social Licence & Narrative Control
Permits don’t move pipe—public permission does. You need to shape the story early and actively or opposition networks will fill the vacuum.
✅ Risk Scenario Planning
Protests. Legal action. Commodity swings. Elections. If you don’t plan for disruption, you’re not ready.
✅ Capital + Staying Power
Multi-billions. Multi-years. Multi-front battles. Only the committed survive.
✅ Political Alliances
You need cross-border, cross-party, cross-government alignment—or you need to neutralize the resistance.
✅ Operational Excellence
Bulletproof environmental plans, local benefits, and flawless execution. Because one misstep will go global.
At CORE Strategic, we help leaders navigate the gauntlet—before the pressure hits. If you’re facing these challenges, let’s talk.
