Guide · updated October 12, 2026

Alberta oil sands projects 2026: expansions, on-hold growth and carbon capture

The oil sands projects that matter for contractors and suppliers in 2026: Cenovus Christina Lake, Canadian Natural’s on-hold growth, Suncor’s Base Mine Extension, Pathways CCS, Shell Polaris and the Pacific Link pipeline, all from owner and regulator sources.

Oil sands spending in 2026 comes in three forms. First is debottlenecking and tie-ins at existing sites. Cenovus has an AER application to connect its Christina Lake north and south assets, with construction from mid-2027 and startup in Q4 2028. Second is large growth that waits on policy. Canadian Natural has put its Jackfish, Pike 2, Jackpine and Horizon projects on hold until definitive Oil Sands Alliance–Alberta–federal agreements are signed, targeted for November 2026. Suncor’s Base Mine Extension, about 225,000 bbl/d of replacement supply, is still in early development and impact assessment.

Third is carbon capture and export capacity. Pathways CCS has cut its first phase to about 6 Mt a year, with an investment decision targeted for late 2027. Shell’s Polaris CCS at Scotford is under construction for operations toward the end of 2028. On October 1, 2026, Ottawa listed Pacific Link, a 1 million bbl/d crude pipeline from Bruderheim to the B.C. coast, as a project of national interest. Spring and fall turnarounds remain the steadiest source of shutdown work. The tracked projects are below.

In this guide

  1. Pacific Link oil pipeline
  2. Cenovus Christina Lake interconnect
  3. Fall oil sands and refinery turnarounds
  4. Alliance Heartland Expansion and Pathways CCS
  5. Shell Polaris CCS and Atlas hub
  6. Canadian Natural growth projects (on hold)
  7. Suncor Base Mine Extension (proposed)

Alberta · Pipeline · Bruderheim–Delta

Pacific Link is now a national-interest project; construction is at least a year out.

  • Status: Listed Oct 1 under the Building Canada Act
  • Next: MPO conditions document; earliest start Sep 1, 2027
  • Disclosed cost: C$35.2–43.7B (preliminary, incl. contingency)
  • Owner: Trans Mountain Corp. and APMC (equal); Pembina 10%, plus up to 10% more at COD
  • In service: 2032–2034

Sources:

Cenovus Christina Lake interconnect

Alberta · Oil sands · Christina Lake

Cenovus files to connect Christina Lake and Christina Lake North.

  • Status: AER notice Sep 15
  • Next: Statement-of-concern deadline Oct 15; construction mid-2027; startup Q4 2028
  • Disclosed cost: Not publicly disclosed
  • Owner: Cenovus (including former MEG assets)

Sources:

Fall oil sands and refinery turnarounds

Alberta · Turnarounds · Fort McMurray and Edmonton

Fall turnaround season ends this week.

  • Status: —
  • Next: Spring 2027 turnaround planning
  • Disclosed cost: Not publicly disclosed
  • In service: Spring 2027 planning

Sources:

Alliance Heartland Expansion and Pathways CCS

Alberta · Gas pipeline + CCS · Heartland

Alliance Heartland Expansion reaches the CER; Pathways still has no FID.

  • Status: —
  • Next: Alliance construction Apr 2028–Sep 2030 (CER page)
  • Disclosed cost: Alliance not disclosed; Pathways phase 1 C$20–30B (reported)
  • In service: Alliance Sep 2030

Sources:

Shell Polaris CCS and Atlas hub

Alberta · Carbon capture · Scotford, Strathcona County

Shell's second Scotford carbon-capture plant, capturing 650,000 t a year, builds toward 2028.

  • Status: Under construction (Alberta Major Projects); Shell projected a peak of about 400 workers in Q4 2025–Q1 2026
  • Next: Operations toward the end of 2028
  • Disclosed cost: Not publicly disclosed
  • Owner: Shell Canada (Polaris 100%); Atlas hub 50/50 with ATCO EnPower
  • In service: Toward end of 2028

Sources:

Canadian Natural growth projects (on hold)

Alberta · Oil sands · Athabasca region

Pike 2, Jackfish and a new Jackpine mine wait on federal–Alberta agreements due November 2026.

  • Status: On hold until definitive Oil Sands Alliance–Alberta–federal agreements are finalized
  • Next: Agreements targeted November 2026
  • Disclosed cost: Not publicly disclosed
  • Owner: Canadian Natural Resources

Sources:

Suncor Base Mine Extension (proposed)

Alberta · Oil sands · North of Fort McMurray

A proposed 225,000 bbl/d mine to replace Base Plant supply.

  • Status: Early development; project descriptions filed with the AER and Impact Assessment Agency
  • Next: Impact assessment; Suncor choosing among supply options
  • Disclosed cost: Not publicly disclosed
  • Owner: Suncor Energy

Sources:

Frequently asked

Which oil sands projects are on hold in 2026?

Canadian Natural has put Jackfish, Pike 2, the Jackpine mine expansion and Horizon growth on hold until definitive agreements between the Oil Sands Alliance, Alberta and Ottawa. Those agreements are targeted for November 2026.

What is the Suncor Base Mine Extension?

A proposed oil sands mine extension to replace supply from Suncor’s existing base mine. Project descriptions are filed with the AER and the Impact Assessment Agency, and it remains in early development.

When will Pathways CCS be built?

The Pathways Alliance targets an investment decision in late 2027 on a first phase of about 6 Mt of CO2 a year, subject to government fiscal terms and approvals.

The full brief is in the October 2026 report: the procurement packages to watch, the buyer and contractor contacts, the dates on the 90-day calendar and how this project ties into the rest of the pipeline.

Read it for C$299 a year or see a free sample

Cancel any time in two clicks.