In the news: Pipeline to BC coast, First Nations negotiations, and Stampede kicks off

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …

Alberta pitches pipeline amid First Nations feud

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is promising to work with Indigenous groups on a new pipeline to the B.C. coast, but it comes at a time of tense relations.

Her government and First Nations chiefs have been in a war of words for more than a year over a referendum on Alberta leaving Confederation.

The disagreement stems from the duty to consult over Alberta’s separation from Canada.

Alberta’s government is fighting in court over the issue, with First Nations saying Smith’s government has not properly consulted them.

First Nations leaders have said Smith’s behaviour amounts to treason, while one of Smith’s senior advisers has publicly said the chiefs should be more focused on poverty in their communities.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith arrive to announce a proposed pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast in Calgary on Thursday, July 02, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Todd Korol

Alberta’s plans for new bitumen pipeline to B.C. coast

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced Thursday that her government has a route – and builders – for a new pipeline to the B.C. coast, just hours after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a deal with B.C. to make it possible.

Smith and Carney stood together in Calgary to announce that Alberta has formally submitted a proposed route to Ottawa’s major projects office.

“The profits from this pipeline will generate billions in revenues over the coming decades for the provincial and federal governments, and will enrich Indigenous communities that choose to partner with us,” said Smith.

“This is transformational wealth, an opportunity neither Canada nor Alberta can afford to leave unrealized.”

A submission package shared by the province says the project will follow closely along the path of the current Trans Mountain pipeline.

This composite image shows Canada’s Courtney Sarault, left, and Mikael Kingsbury, right, as they display medals they won at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, in Italy, on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck, Sean Kilpatrick

Parade to kick off Calgary Stampede festivities

A pair of Winter Olympians are set to trade in their skis and skates for hats and boots today as the Calgary Stampede kicks off 10 days of western-themed festivities. 

Medallists and marshals Mikael Kingsbury and Courtney Sarault are to lead the procession along the city’s downtown streets. 

Many Calgarians get the morning off to attend the show, with diehards arriving hours before the begins. They camp out in lawn chairs and with umbrellas to brave the elements to get prime spots along the route.

Kingsbury, a Quebec-born moguls skier, said he hasn’t had much experience riding horses.

“I’m a beginner, but I like to try new stuff and learn,” he said. 

An Air Canada plane takes off from Montreal’s Trudeau airport on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

Canadians keep flying despite high airfares

Canadians continue to hop on board airplanes this summer even as ticket prices remain well above last year’s levels — despite a recent drop in fuel costs.

As of late June, domestic economy airfares remained 11 per cent higher than a year earlier, while international fares were roughly comparable year-over-year, according to travel search platform Kayak. 

Nonetheless, major North American airlines have said demand going into the peak travel season has proven resilient despite greater global conflict and Canadians’ turn away from U.S. travel.

“We’ve been in the green for the better part of the last two months. Despite multiple increases in fares, we have not seen demand (fall),” Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s chief commercial officer, told analysts on April 30 in reference to summer flights.

Prime Minister Mark Carney tours the Vector artificial intelligence research institute in Toronto on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sammy Kogan

U.S. big tech holds 85% of Canadian cloud market

Three big U.S. tech companies control the vast majority of Canada’s publicly-available cloud infrastructure, says a new report released ahead of the government’s national AI strategy, which is expected to include measures targeting AI sovereignty.

Amazon, Microsoft and Google hold 85 per cent of public cloud market share in Canada — much higher than their global average of 66 per cent, according to the report from the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project released Tuesday.

The federal government is set to release an AI strategy this week. It’s expected to call for building a foundation for Canadian sovereign AI as one of its six pillars.

“AI for All will support the building of sovereign compute infrastructure at scale — resilient, sustainable, and under Canadian governance, and grow Canada’s exceptional AI researchers and talent pool,” the government said in the spring economic statement.

Switzerland fans march toward B.C. Place before a World Cup Group B soccer match against Canada, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Timothy Matwey

Sixth story headline

Switzerland defeated Algeria 2-0 at BC Place on Thursday, keeping the European team’s World Cup dreams alive and knocking the North African team out of the tournament. 

The victory means the Swiss team will play its third consecutive match in Vancouver on Tuesday, which will also mark the final game hosted by the city. 

B.C. native Hans Schranz said he has attended every World Cup match the Switzerland team have played in the tournament so far. 

He said his parents immigrated from Switzerland, so it was meaningful for him to be able to watch his team play twice in his home province. 

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2026

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