CBC | World News
· collected 2026-08-20 · by Jillian Kestler-D'Amours
Key dates in Keystone XL pipeline as Trump claims contentious project being revived
Canada hasn't commented on Trump's claim expansion 'may be awoken from the grave'
U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed a contentious oil pipeline project is being revived as Canada and the United States continue negotiations aimed at staving off a new batch of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social website late on Tuesday that "The great Keystone XL Pipeline, long ago killed by Sleepy Joe Biden, may be awoken from the grave!"
uncertain
Pipeline → claim → grave
The U.S. president also shared an AI-generated image showing him lifting a massive pipeline tagged "KEYSTONE" out of a grave, with two American flags waving in the background and a headstone that reads, "Buried by Biden."
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that → share → Biden
Canada has not commented publicly on Trump's claim that the project is being revived as part of ongoing trade talks.
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project → comment → talks
Washington said late on Tuesday that it was pausing planned 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods for three days to allow for more negotiations.
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it → say → negotiations
Initial proposal, and opposition grows
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opposition → grow → ?
Keystone XL was first proposed back when Stephen Harper was prime minister and U.S. President George W. Bush was finishing his second term.
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Bush → propose → term
TransCanada — now called TC Energy — and ConocoPhillips, joint owners of the Keystone pipeline, pitched a major extension to the network.
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TransCanada → call → network
The expansion, dubbed Keystone XL, would carry hundreds of thousands of barrels of oilsands bitumen from Alberta to Texas.
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expansion → dub → Texas
The National Energy Board approves TransCanada's application for Keystone XL, though the OK comes with 22 conditions regarding safety, environmental protection and landowner rights.
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OK → approve → safety
After an extended review, the State Department releases its final environmental assessment, which echoes an earlier draft statement in saying the pipeline would have a limited environmental impact.
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pipeline → release → impact
Protesters stage a two-week campaign of civil disobedience at the White House as wider opposition to Keystone XL grows, particularly among environmental and Indigenous groups.
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opposition → stage → groups
Obama rejects pipeline route
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Obama → reject → route
The U.S. State Department says TransCanada must reroute Keystone XL to avoid an ecologically sensitive region of Nebraska.
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TransCanada → say → Nebraska
Days later, TransCanada agrees to reroute the line.
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TransCanada → agree → line
U.S. President Barack Obama rejects Keystone, saying a timeline imposed by U.S. legislators did not leave enough time to review the new route.
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timeline → reject → route
Obama says TransCanada is free to submit another application.
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TransCanada → say → application
TransCanada submits a new route to officials in Nebraska for approval.
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TransCanada → submit → approval
The company also files a new application with the State Department for the northern part of Keystone XL.
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company → file → XL
Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman approves TransCanada's proposed new route, sending the project back to the State Department for review.
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Heineman → approve → review
Pipeline opponents file a lawsuit against the Nebraska government claiming the state law used to review the new route is unconstitutional.
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law → file → route
The State Department suspends the regulatory process indefinitely, citing uncertainty about the court case in Nebraska.
Jan. 9, 2015:
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Department → suspend → Nebraska
The Nebraska Supreme Court throws out the legal challenge against the project.
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Court → throw → project
The U.S. Senate approves a bill to build Keystone XL.
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Senate → approve → XL
Less than a month later, Obama vetoes the measure.
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Obama → veto → measure
The Obama administration rejects TransCanada's application to build Keystone XL.
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administration → reject → XL
Trump promises Keystone XL
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Trump → promise → XL
Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election after promising several times on the campaign trail that he would approve Keystone XL if elected.
Jan. 24, 2017:
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he → win → XL
Trump signs an executive order that he says approves Keystone XL, but suggests the U.S. intends to renegotiate the terms of the project.
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U.S. → sign → project
A U.S. federal judge blocks the pipeline's construction to allow more time to study the potential environmental impact.
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judge → block → impact
Trump issues a new presidential permit in an effort to speed up development.
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Trump → issue → development
TransCanada changes its name to TC Energy.
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TransCanada → change → Energy
Alberta agrees to invest $1.5 billion in Keystone XL, followed by a $6 billion loan guarantee in 2021.
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Alberta → agree → 2021
Construction begins, despite calls from Indigenous groups and environmentalists to pause their efforts.
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Construction → begin → efforts
Joe Biden defeats Trump in the U.S. presidential election.
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Biden → defeat → election
Biden revokes permit
Jan. 20, 2021:
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Biden → revoke → permit
Biden signs an executive order on his first day in office revoking the 2019 permit Trump issued for Keystone XL, which he says is not in the U.S. national interest.
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he → sign → interest
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is "disappointed" by the decision.
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government → say → decision
TC Energy says it has terminated the Keystone XL project "after a comprehensive review of its options, and in consultation with its partner, the Government of Alberta."
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it → say → Alberta
TC Energy announces plans to file a claim under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) to recoup $15 billion US in damages it says were caused by the cancellation of the project.
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it → announce → project
The company argues Washington breached its obligations under CUSMA's predecessor, NAFTA.
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Washington → argue → predecessor
…and 17 more, not listed.
